'Disruptive' Scotland build-up frustrates Malcolm

Captain Rachel Malcolm says the Scotland players have been put in an "unfair position" by a "very disruptive" build-up to this summer's Rugby World Cup.

Last month a source from the Scotland camp told the BBC players were "suffering with their mental and emotional health" as more than half the squad faced uncertainty over their contracts after the tournament.

Scottish Rugby said in a statement that "there is no right time for a process like this to take place" but they have "now concluded contracting discussions with all members of the Rugby World Cup training squad".

Head coach Bryan Easson announced last week he would be stepping down after the World Cup, which Malcolm said came as "a shock" and she described the timing of the announcement, so close to the tournament, as "upsetting".

Malcolm said having to deal with numerous off-field issues less than a month out from the event has disappointing.

"I think that the timing is the most frustrating," the 34-year-old flanker said.

"As players we want to have 1000% of our focus on performing for our country at the biggest tournament in our careers, but there's obviously been that distraction.

"I think all of us are very passionate that the game in Scotland needs to grow and all of us are very passionate about being a part of that process, but not at the detriment of our performance at this World Cup, which ultimately is the most important part of our careers as players.

"I think it's slightly unfair to put us in a position where that distraction's been there.

"My ethos as a captain is to make my players feel like superwomen, it's to make them feel valued and like they belong. And the processes which have gone on behind the scenes have definitely done almost the opposite of those three things, so it's definitely made my job a little bit tougher."

Easson departing after 'sticky' discussions

Malcolm said discussions with the Scottish Rugby hierarchy to try to resolve the contractual dispute only served to leave her feeling "more frustrated" and the union "probably haven't had too much sympathy towards our case".

On the timing of the announcement of Easson's impending departure, Malcolm believes it was taken out of the head coach's hands.

"I don't think much of it was within his control, so obviously Scottish Rugby decided that was the time to do it and that's when it was done, so there's not much else we can do about that," she said.

"It's not ideal prep whatsoever. It's been very disruptive."

Easson admits the timing of the announcement was problematic, with "sticky" discussions with Williamson taking place in the last month, and refused to be drawn on whether he was leaving the role of his own volition.

"My contract was up after the Rugby World Cup, we have been in discussions for a long time just to see what's happening and it's been sticky," he said.

"I'll be honest, discussions have been sticky, and it did take a while and I did have a discussion three or four weeks ago.

"It was felt that it was the right time to move on. Obviously I'd have preferred the timing to have been a little bit different, but it was just an adult conversation between two people.

"Professional sport is high-performance sport and I think one thing you do understand as a coach is that you're never going to be in one place for forever."