Wales sympathy for Scotland's contract woes

Kate Williams will co-captain Wales along with Alex Callender at the World Cup

Women's Rugby World Cup 2025: Scotland v Wales

Venue: Salford Community Stadium Date: Saturday, 23 August Kick-off: 14:45 BST

Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Online and BBC Sounds

Wales co-captain Kate Williams says she sympathises with Scotland players who are going through contract uncertainty in the build up to the Rugby World Cup.

More than half of Scotland's squad fear being left without a professional deal after the tournament in October.

A source in their camp told the BBC in June players were suffering with their mental and emotional health.

Wales experienced similar upheaval last year when they were given ultimatums and threatened with being withdrawn from the World Cup when contract talks broke down.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) later apologised for its handling of the situation.

"I wouldn't wish what we went through on any other team," said back-row forward Williams.

Scotland are due to meet Wales in their crucial Pool B opener on Saturday.

It is a game which could decide which team makes it through to the quarter-finals, with Canada expected to top the group and both sides tipped to beat Fiji.

"It's really poor timing for them, that they're going through this now. I guess our timing was possibly a bit better," said Williams given the row in Wales came prior to WXV2, rather than the World Cup.

And while the forward says she and her team mates "feel their pain", there will be no time for sympathy in Salford.

"We are here to play rugby and we're here to win that Test match," said the Gloucester-Hartpury flanker.

"We know how important it is, so it's just going to be who's better on the day."