Rugby World Cup: Scotland set to end 12-year wait to play in tournament
- Published
Leah Bartlett is hoping to inspire the next generation of Scotland players
Rugby World Cup: Scotland v Wales |
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Venue: Northland Events Centre, Whangarei Date: Sunday, 9 October Kick-off: 05:45 BST |
Coverage: Live BBC Radio Wales Extra commentary, live text and report on the BBC Sport website and app. |
In late February, Scotland swept Colombia aside 59-3 in Dubai to guarantee their place on the women's game's biggest stage for the first time in 12 years.
Seven months on and the opening game of the Rugby World Cup is just days away, a tangible reward finally in sight for the squad's success in qualification.
When Brian Easson's side take on Wales in Whangarei in the early hours of Sunday morning, they will be confronted with familiar opposition, albeit in unfamiliar surroundings.
Scotland centre Lisa Thomson, former captain of the national side, recognises the size and significance of the occasion.
"That first game against Wales is huge," she said. "We know them inside out, and they know us the same.
"It's a big game, it sets off our World Cup journey. Everyone's buzzing to get out there and get started."
With New Zealand - the hosts and reigning champions - and Australia also in Scotland's group, the opener takes on additional importance, as there are two third-place qualifying spots for the quarter-finals.
A spot in the last eight is the initial target for Scotland.
"We're definitely looking to get out of our pool," Thomson said. "We're looking at that first Wales game, I think that will set us off on a good start."
The last time Scotland played Wales, in this year's Six Nations, Easson's side created chance after chance and led 19-7 - but eventually lost 24-19.
"We learned a lot about ourselves down there," Thomson recalls. "We were in that game for 60 to 70 minutes. We created a lot of opportunities, just didn't finish them off.
"We've been working on how to beat them - I'm not going to tell you those things, but we've been working a lot on ourselves in the last six months."
Preparation has certainly ramped up either side of the long flight to New Zealand, with the squad given funding from the SRU that has allowed 11 weeks of full-time training.
That has given them a taste of the professional environment that will be introduced after the tournament - 30 players will receive contracts when two semi-professional teams are launched later this year.
That time in camp, first in Edinburgh and then in Auckland, has allowed the squad to gel and prepare in a way that prop Leah Bartlett has found invaluable.
"We've had lots of time together that otherwise we wouldn't have had," the Loughborough Lightning player said. "It's been really good to get to know each other even better than we did before.
"[It has been] hugely beneficial coming into the tournament, and having had that contact time with each other to refine things - the set-piece specifically for us forwards."
Head coach Brian Easson has had priceless additional time with his squad to prepare for the tournament
Scotland are playing catch-up with Wales, and are light years away from where England are in terms of a professional structure, but this is the beginning of a process that the SRU hopes will grow the women's game.
Away from work on the training ground, the players are making sure to appreciate their surroundings and take in the sights halfway around the world.
"As a wee girl, I always wanted to be a pro rugby player, so to do that, and with this squad as well, it's been class," Thomson said. "We had a real good week in Auckland before we came up to Whangarei, testing out all the local coffee shops."
The Hawick native did add that the recent wet weather in New Zealand has provided a taste of home, if not a particularly welcome one.
Bartlett, too, is enjoying her time on tour: "We went to the welcome ceremony the other day, which was fantastic - it was really cool to see some of the culture in New Zealand. So far it's been an amazing experience."
There is little danger of Scotland being distracted or overawed by the occasion though.
"It's about getting that balance right," Thomson said. "Enjoying the experience, but when we're out there to play, it's still a game of rugby. We take in the experience and the occasion for sure. We're at a World Cup - Scotland women haven't been there for 12 years.
"We definitely need to enjoy the experience and put on a performance to inspire the wee girls back home."
Scotland get their Rugby World Cup campaign under way against Wales at 05:45 BST on Sunday.
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