Matt Banahan named Scotland women's attack coach as WXV squad is selected
- Published
Banahan was one of the game's most powerful runners for more than a decade
Former Bath and England winger Matt Banahan has been appointed attack coach of the Scotland women's team.
Banahan scored four tries in 16 caps for England between 2009 and 2011.
He made 264 appearances for Bath, scoring a record 100 tries, before finishing his career at Gloucester.
"I'm really excited to join Scotland women," Banahan said. "I've been seeing the growth of the women's game and I thought there was no better place to pursue my coaching career."
"I've coached in academy programmes and with other teams and I thought this was the perfect progression - to pass on knowledge from where my passion stems," he added.
Banahan's involvement will start with the new WXV tournament that Scotland are preparing for with a training camp and warm-up match against Spain.
Uncapped Nikki Simpson and Holly McIntyre have been named in Scotland's squad while Sarah Bonar, Lisa Cockburn, Jenny Maxwell and Emma Wassell all return from injury.
Great Britain Sevens players Shona Campbell, Rhona Lloyd and Lisa Thomson are also selected.
Scotland host Spain on 30 September and play their first WXV match against hosts South Africa on 13 October.
Bryan Easson's side will also take on the United States on 20 October and Japan eight days later.
The new three-tiered global women's tournament starts in October despite clashing with the men's World Cup.
England, Wales and France are in the top-tier WXV1 after finishing in the top three of the Women's Six Nations with Scotland in WXV2 alongside Italy and Samoa.
Easson is delighted to have added Banahan to his coaching team after Chris Laidlaw decided to focus purely on his role as performance development coach.
"We got to a really good place last season with Chris and I'm really pleased with the way he developed our attacking game," Easson said.
"We wanted to bring in someone in of that same kind of ilk, who has recently been involved in the game from a playing perspective and has the energy and rugby knowledge to take the players to the next level."
Nikki Simpson (left) and Holly McIntyre have been called up by Scotland for the WXV training squad
Scotland squad
Forwards: Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers), Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning), Sarah Bonar (Harlequins), Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears), Lisa Cockburn (University of Worcester Warriors), Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers), Evie Gallagher (University of Worcester Warriors), Jade Konkel (Harlequins), Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning), Elis Martin (Leicester Tigers), Rachel McLachlan (Sale Sharks), Louise McMillan (Saracens), Lana Skeldon (University of Worcester Warriors), Nikki Simpson (Garioch), Emma Wassell (Loughborough Lightning), Anne Young (Sale Sharks)
Backs: Beth Blacklock (Saracens), Shona Campbell (GB Sevens), Coreen Grant (Saracens), Caity Mattinson (University of Worcester Warriors), Jenny Maxwell (Loughborough Lightning), Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers), Holly McIntyre (University of Edinburgh), Rhona Lloyd (GB Sevens/Les Lionnes du Stade Bordelais), Liz Musgrove (Wasps), Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning), Emma Orr (Heriots/Biggar), Lisa Thomson (GB Sevens), Chloe Rollie (Loughborough Lightning), Eilidh Sinclair (Exeter Chiefs), Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears)
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