Scottish Rugby

The Six Nations continues as the women’s tournament gets under way this weekend.

Sara and Philippa Tuttiett were at the launch event to speak to the home nations captains and explain why the battle for third place this year will be so intense.

They spoke Scotland’s Rachel Malcolm over a certain reality TV show.

Listen to the podcast here.

You can watch all of the 2024 Women's Six Nations across the BBC, with Wales hosting Scotland on BBC2 at 16:45 GMT on Saturday 23 March.

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Lana Skeldon says Scotland are focusing on themselves and how they can impose their game on the opposition before the upcoming Women's Six Nations.

Scotland start their campaign away in Cardiff on Saturday, having lost their last three meetings with Wales.

"We're going into it really focusing on ourselves and trying to execute the things that we want to execute," the hooker said.

"We've been training hard over the last few weeks and we just want to put in what we've been doing in training into the game and hopefully get that win.

"We're going out there to impose our game on them. It's just a blend between the forwards and the backs, fronting up physically and meeting them at the line."

The 30 year-old has an impressive try-scoring record for Scotland, but was quick to credit her teammates for her success.

"I do love scoring tries, but it's a team effort," she added. "I'm just lucky that I'm the one that gets on the scoreboard sometimes.

"I'd love to score more, it gives me a boost going into the game, but as long as we're getting over the line as a team, that's what matters."

The Scots have won their last six games, a run that started in last year's Six Nations as they beat Ireland and Italy.

Scotland's women have never won seven games in a row, but Skeldon says they aren't letting a potential record distract them.

"We are aware it's there, but I think we're just really focusing on us and what we can do each time we take the field. It's really exciting that we have managed to get a run of wins on the go."

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Edinburgh and Scotland prop WP Nel says he hasn't made a decision on his future yet, but insists retirement isn't a daunting prospect.

The 37-year-old didn't play for Scotland during this year's Six Nations due to a neck injury, and his contract with the capital club is up at the end of this season.

"The issues with my neck, with my age, it plays a role," he said. "You start thinking and you start doubting. I need to manage it and see how it will look and that's what we're doing at the moment.

"It's something I honestly haven't thought about; I've done more than enough. I've achieved over and above what I ever thought I would. If I had to make the decision tomorrow to finish, I would make it tomorrow.

"It's definitely not difficult for me to make the decision. But if I'm happy to play still, then I'm happy to play."

Nel has been with Edinburgh since 2012, and could make his 200th appearance for the club against Stormers in his native South Africa on Saturday.

If he does, he would become just the third player to reach that milestone, after Allan Jacobsen and Chris Paterson.

"If it comes this weekend, it would be pretty special," Nel added. "When I signed here I did not even think I would play 100. To get 200 is quite special, especially to do it here in Cape Town, it would be awesome."

Duncan Weir reveals how he settled Stafford McDowall’s nerves ahead of the centre's Six Nations debut for Scotland.

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Max Williamson said the "shock" of training with the Scotland squad has worn off, three years after being asked to join in as an 18-year-old.

The second-row was yet to play a pro game when he was called up by Gregor Townsend, but after making his Glasgow debut last December, he was called up again during the recent Six Nations.

"I feel a lot more confident going in this time," Williamson laughed. "I know a lot of the Glasgow guys a lot better. Last time was a bit of shock and that week went really fast. To go back and assert myself a bit better was a real positive.

"It was a really good experience with a few of the other younger boys. It's really cool to see their prep for the week and how that's different to ours and what to take from that."

This has been Williamson's breakthrough year at the Warriors, making nine appearances so far, three of which have been starts.

He's not the only youngster enjoying game time either, with lock Alex Samuel and Euan Ferrie also training with Scotland in recent weeks after impressing for Glasgow.

"It's good fun, it makes the situation a bit less stressful when you've got a couple of mates in with you. To go through and develop together is awesome and hopefully we can come back and take our learnings into the Glasgow games over the next few weeks.

"We're focused on building a squad to try and push for trophies - and you need to have a strong squad, not just a 15 or a 23. It's a positive that [Franco Smith] has given a lot of the young boys opportunities.

"A lot of them are taking those opportunities - the likes of Ben Afshar at start this season, or Gregor Hiddleston as well, they've both taken their opportunities and that's credit to them."

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Tom English and Andy Burke look back on Scotland’s Six Nations campaign, plus we hear from the team’s doctor James Robson as he steps down after 33 years in the role.

• Subscribe and listen to full episodes of BBC's Scotland Rugby Podcast.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Helen Nelson warned Scotland will need an "80-minute" performance if they are to beat Wales on the opening day of the Women's Six Nations.

The Scots kick the competition off with a trip to Cardiff, against a Welsh side that has had the edge over them in recent, closely-fought meetings.

"It's going to be a very tight game, it always is against the Welsh but I think it's going to take the full 80 minutes, we know that," the fly-half said.

"They've got depth again throughout their whole 23 and that squad, so it's not going to be a case of winning it in the first half or anything like that. It's going to be tight right to the end so it's going to take a full 80 minutes."

If the Scots were to win, it would mark a seventh consecutive victory - a feat they have never managed before.

After winning the final two Six Nations games last season, Bryan Easson's side beat Spain in a friendly before winning all three games as they lifted the WXV 2 trophy in South Africa.

"It's been a very positive camp," Nelson added. "We've had some time off since Cape Town, but we're still definitely feeling that positive vibe that we came off the back of.

"We've had some new faces come in as well, off the back of the Celtic Challenge, so it's been a really good blend of that experience and new faces as well.

"We're in a very good place in terms of depth. Having those new faces come in and genuinely challenge our spots, it pushes us all to be better and you can feel that, you can see it."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt says "belief" is key to beating South African sides in the Southern Hemisphere, as Edinburgh gear up to face the Stormers in Cape Town.

The capital club became the first Northern Hemisphere side to win on the continent when they beat the Sharks in 2022 and Everitt wants them to believe they can do it again.

"If you look at the past games in South Africa, the Northern Hemisphere teams have found it difficult to win," Everitt said.

"That belief side is a challenge. We've got to get the players to believe. We've won two games at home against South African teams, so it means that on the day we are able to beat any of them. We beat the Bulls who are really on fire at the moment.

"We've got to believe that we can beat these teams away. Edinburgh have had a taste of success and they still talk about it, because I was a coach of the Sharks at the time."

Stormers currently sit ninth in the URC table but are yet to lose at home this season, and only sit four points behind fourth-placed Edinburgh.

"It's really tight at the top and it's something that won't be decided until the last round of the URC. Any of the top eight or nine teams have an opportunity to challenge for a top four position.

"There's still seven games to be played. If you do slip up in one of your games away, it's not the end of the world. It's about how you get back on the horse. Every win you get away from home is an absolute bonus."

Sandy Smith
Fan writer

The Six Nations is done for another year and attention now returns to the URC, as Edinburgh face the small matter of a cross-continent double header against Stormers and Sharks.

Stormers are up first and this will be the third time we have played them on their home turf. The bad news is that they are the only South African side we’ve not beaten.

They are also unbeaten at home this season despite currently sitting ninth in the table. We did draw with them in their first year in the URC, though.

The good news is we’ve travelled to South Africa on the back of a three-match winning streak with only that narrow Challenge Cup defeat to Gloucester in early January spoiling our record in 2024.

The club named a 30-man squad including seven internationalists, with the caveat that they would only travel if available.

Pierre Schoeman was in that group as he was in the pictures circulated by the club of the team at the airport. Despite that, I'd be surprised if he was to start this week.

We can perhaps hope that Ben Healy can start having played all of four minutes in Scotland's Six Nations campaign.

We may also see Edinburgh's very own hokey-cokey man (in, out, in, half-out, out, mess him all about) Jamie Ritchie, who might have some frustrations to expel.

Nailing my blue and burnt orange colours to the mast, I think we can take five points home with us from this trip. I’ll let you decide where they come from.

Sandy Smith can be found on The Burgh Watch, external.

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Scotland winger Duhan van der Merwe has been nominated for the Six Nations' Player of the Championship award after his stellar performances for Gregor Townsend's side.

As well as scoring a historic hat-trick against England, the 28-year-old pulled himself one short of Scotland's all-time trying scoring record - behind Stuart Hogg's 27 - after crossing the white line five times in the tournament.

Van der Merwe faces stiff competition for the award, going up against Ireland's Bundee Aki, England's Ben Earl, and Italy's Tommaso Menoncello.

If he were to win, he'd be the first Scot to claim the award since Hamish Watson in 2021 and just the third Scot to win overall - Hogg won in both 2016 and 2017.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Duncan Weir says he is enjoying his new role as an "elder statesmen" in Glasgow's title-chasing side.

At Scotstoun, only Fraser Brown, Richie Gray and Sean Kennedy are older than 32-year-old Weir, who has started three times in the URC so far this season.

"I know now my role as an elder statesman in the squad," Weir said. "The starts won't be frequent, but I've still got a big job to do - coming off the bench and calming down the boys when things are going a bit hairy, or changing the game wherever I see fit.

"Physically I feel in really good shape and I'm really looking forward to doing something special with the last 14 weeks of the season."

Having won the Pro 12 with Glasgow in 2015, Weir knows what it takes to win a championship and has been impressed by head coach Franco Smith since the South African took charge two years ago.

"This season has been a real squad effort," he said. Last year Franco came in and wanted to implement his changes and make sure we were successful on the pitch.

"Now we're into his second season, we know what he wants and how he wants the game played."

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Rachel Malcolm admits she got "emotional" when she saw her name on the back of a Scotland shirt for the first time, before the Women's Six Nations.

This is the first year that female players will have their names on their jerseys, in a move similar to the men's game.

"It's super exciting and when I first saw [my shirt], when they gave it to me to come down here today, it was quite emotional seeing it, because that is so important to us," the Scotland skipper explained.

"It probably seems insignificant to people who watch sport. In women's and men's football, they've had it for as long as I can remember. That's why we know so many women and male footballers, because they've had the names on the shirts.

"For us as women in rugby, we've always been fighting against the tide, trying to grow our game and trying to get role models out there for young girls, young boys, whoever it may be.

"The difference that having the names on the shirts will have - young girls who want to play 15, looking at Chloe Rollie and getting her name on the back of their shirt - it's absolutely massive."

The Scotland captain says she knew very little about the women's game while growing up, but hopes to be part of a sea change when it comes to the sport.

"When I was wee, I didn't know women played rugby," Malcolm said. "I didn't know there was a Women's Six Nations. That is just down to - they weren't put out there. I knew there was a men's one, I watched the men's one, I went to the men's one, but I never knew there was a women's one.

"The more that we can get the personalities, the incredible people that we have within the sport, out there - and a simple thing like putting your name on the back of your shirt is just going to drive that so much.

"A massive part of why female rugby players play at this level is to inspire that next generation. This is just a really simple fix to help do that."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Glasgow assistant coach Al Dickinson backed Zander Fagerson for selection on the next British & Irish Lions tour after the tighthead became Scotland's most-capped male prop of all time.

Fagerson, 28, made his 67th appearance for his country in the loss to Ireland last weekend - over-taking former tighthead Euan Murray.

"Zander is held in high regard but I don't think he gets enough credit for all the stuff he does on game day and in training," Dickinson said.

"He does a lot of unseen work that only rugby pigs will get. He's been outstanding for Glasgow and for Scotland and he thoroughly deserves it."

Dickinson, who has 58 caps to his own name, started for Scotland the day that Fagerson made his international debut - in a home defeat to England in the 2016 Six Nations.

"He's got a long way to go. He was capped at 19, young for a tighthead, and he looks after himself well. He'll continue to grow as a player.

"He's already been on a Lions tour and he's got another one in him. He's still relatively young for a tighthead. If he follows WP he'll be going until he's 40. I'm super proud of him and he deserves everything that he's got."

Glasgow have bolstered the other side of the front row for next season with the signing of loosehead Rory Sutherland.

The Scotland prop, who made one appearance during the recent Six Nations, will join in the summer after a season in the French Top 14 with Oyonnax.

"He's a great kid," Dickinson said of 31-year-old Sutherland. "He was coming through at Edinburgh when I was there. He's an excellent signing for the club, we're really bolstering that loosehead side especially.

"We've got some cracking boys in there. It'll benefit the club and him - back in the homeland, he'll make strides to get back to the form he had when he became a [British & Irish] Lion."

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Sean Everitt has named a 30-man Edinburgh squad for their two-week trip to South Africa as they take on the Stormers and the Sharks in the URC.

The trip also sees Everitt go up against his former side Sharks for the first time, having been connected to the Durban-based side since 2008.

“We’re really excited for the challenge of this tour, taking on two of South Africa’s biggest sides on their own turf," Everitt said.

“As a team, we’ve spoken about the physicality and belief needed to win in Cape Town and Durban – they are the non-negotiables. It’s now about showing the fight and resilience that has lifted us to fourth place in the Championship.

Luke Crosbie, Darcy Graham, Robin Hislop, Harry Paterson, Nathan Sweeney and Glen Young remain unavailable and have not travelled, with Ali Price remaining in Scotland for the birth of his child.

Including international players, who will travel depending on availability, there are six South African-born players in the squad.

Forwards: Boan Venter, Dave Cherry, Patrick Harrison, Javan Sebastian, Luan de Bruin, WP Nel, Jamie Hodgson, Marshall Sykes, Connor Boyle, Tom Dodd, Bill Mata, Ben Muncaster, Hamish Watson.

Backs: Charlie Shiel, Ben Vellacott, Cammy Scott, Mark Bennett, Matt Currie, Chris Dean, James Lang, Emiliano Boffelli, Wes Goosen, Jake Henry.

Internationalists: Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, Grant Gilchrist, Sam Skinner, Jamie Ritchie, Ben Healy, Duhan van der Merwe.

We asked for your thoughts after Scotland's 17-13 defeat to Ireland in their final Six Nations game.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Peter: We should have been four wins out of five in this competition - the players still need to learn how to be consistent and win. Andy Christie is find of of the season he has been immense, particularly against Ireland. I am still optimistic about this Scottish team I think they have a lot to give.

Jeb: Again and again the same issues of decision-making under pressure - gave them the first try. What a completely erratic Six Nations. No consistency and this team don’t have many more years in them to win something.

Al: [Gregor] Townsend out now. He's run his course and can't get much more out of the players. Far too many unforced errors again which is down to his poor coaching.

David: Scotland and this group of players showed against Ireland they can compete with the best in the world. The players and coaches need to work out why we cannot perform like this, week on week.

Ginger: I thought this campaign was a missed opportunity. So many things that were in control we didn't execute.

Seumas: Scotland played with an intensity in defence that was missing in the other games. If we want to improve we must turn up all the time. The feeling is one of disappointment.

Euan: Feels like a 'missed opportunity' yet again, with the Jekyll and Hyde performances continuing. I believe there’s a very good team in there somewhere, but discipline at crucial moments is letting us down

George: A coach being proud of a loss is half the problem here. The other half is the SRU letting the game die in Scotland. New coach and new direction needed to grow the game so we can compete and not let the game die.

John: Can't see any sign of progress. Massive missed opportunity against a below par Ireland. Time for a new coach.

David: Defended really well in the first half but the usual handling errors cost them any kind of momentum going forward. Not really sure where they go from here. Another disappointing campaign all in and think it was probably their last chance with this group of players.

Jim: On balance, this championship will be seen as a failure. Despite winning in Cardiff, three losses and the way that Scotland have fallen out of games is a real concern. Gregor Townsend should get another season to fix these issues. It’s a shame Scotland won’t get more games against quality opposition before next year’s tournament to test themselves.

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Former Scotland's Sevens captain Colin Gregor believes Gregor Townsend should be disappointed after the loss in Dublin, rather than proud.

The Scotland head coach praised his side after the 7-13 defeat against Ireland.

"You just want him to be disappointed," Gregor told BBC Radio Scotland. "It's still a loss. Is he proud because he was expecting to get cuffed?

"I can understand why he's saying it, but is that the benchmark? Just to give them a game? That wasn't a good Ireland team. That wasn't a good Scotland performance.

"Yes, there was backs-against-the-wall defence, but the basic errors in attack, the things that were in their control they didn't do all that well. The over-riding sense for me is still frustration. Their attack needs a whole heap of work."

Former Scotland prop Peter Wright added it has been a "very inconsistent championship" for Townsend's side.

"Scotland should have beat France, Italy was disappointing, and when Gregor actually watches this game back, he'll be disappointed," Wright said.

"He'll reflect on the words he said. Be proud of the defensive effort, but that was an Ireland team that was misfiring. Scotland were still in the game because Ireland didn't take chances.

"It's what could have been for Scotland. Overall, a disappointing Six Nations."

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Scotland forward Andy Christie spoke after the 17-13 Six Nations loss against Ireland.

On the game:

“It was a tough, hard-fought game. Fair play to Ireland, I think they’re probably deserved winners in the end. We’re disappointed in the end that we didn’t come out on the right side of the result but couldn’t be prouder of the boys and their efforts.”

“It just shows the amount of pride that the boys have in the jersey. That’s something we spoke about before the game, just being focused on doing our jobs and sometimes your job can be camping on your line and trying to keep the other team out. I’m so proud of the boys.”

How much have you enjoyed breaking into the team this Six Nations?

“I’ve loved playing for this country, I love wearing the jersey. Disappointed it’s ended how it has without the win, but I’m so proud and I think I’ll look back on this Six Nations with fond memories.”

What might have been in this campaign?

“We can always talk about coulda, shoulda, woulda. I think the boys probably need some time now to reflect, but I do think this is a group that’s growing. I’m proud of the efforts.

“There’s definitely areas we need to grow but I think the togetherness we’ve shown through this campaign, some things that probably aren’t seen from the outside but you feel it on the inside, it’s a group I love being a part of.”

What does this team need to add to become contenders?

“I don’t know if it’s necessarily about adding, I think it’s just about doing more of what we do well. At times you’ve seen - that win against England, that first half against Wales, at times against France and even times against Ireland - how good of an outfit we can be.

“It’s just about being a bit more consistent in doing the things we’re good at well, doing them over 80 minutes. If we perform like that every week then we’ll probably come out on the right side of a lot more results. We’ve taken a lot today that we can be confident with and I think this group is growing so hopefully we can show that going forward.”

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Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend told BBC Radio Scotland he's "really proud" of his players after a "tough" clash in Ireland.

The hosts were 17-13 winners on the final day of the Six Nations, despite a strong defensive performance from the visitors.

"I feel really proud of the players, all 23, the effort they put in today in one of the toughest environments to play in," Townsend said.

"They fronted up in the first half, very physical, and at times created opportunities to pressure Ireland. We know we could have done better in the third quarter, but I'm so proud of the effort at the end.

"To score that try and then look like we might score another try, that's all you can ask from your team. You could see the fitness of our players and the impact of our bench.

"We tried at the end, and it's a shame we couldn't get through a few more phases. Our forwards did really well, Stafford McDowall carried hard at times. We probably didn't get the rewards in the first half.

"It was a very close test match until we got a man in the bin, but I'm so proud of the guys."

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Scrum-half Caity Mattinson says it is "exciting there is a viable pathway" in Scotland now for women’s professional rugby, and hopes it will eventually lead to players returning north to play their club rugby.

The 27-year-old played two games with Edinburgh in the Celtic Challenge and was glad of the opportunity after limited game time at Gloucester.

“I can’t see people coming back next year, because it’s pre-World Cup,” Mattinson admitted. “But I would expect after that you’ll start to see a lot of people playing their club rugby up here which is exciting. That’s a cool thing to look forward to, I’d say.

“It’s exciting that that is a viable pathway option now, and potentially moving forward that we can start to come back to Scotland to play our club rugby at some point. That would be really nice.”

The scrum-half has been instrumental in Scotland’s winning form after a long line of defeats.

The success of the Scottish side has boosted popularity of the women’s game, with over 5000 tickets sold so far for the home game against England.

“I’m really proud of being involved in that [successful form],” Mattinson said. “From the outside it was probably really easy to be like ‘Scotland are doing really badly’ and being quite pessimistic about it. But I’ve always had full confidence in this group - it’s a really hard-working and really lovely group of people.

“Even though it was definitely tough, we pulled together rather than apart, and I think that’s probably why we have gone on to have a very successful run.

“Wales [the Six Nations opener] is always a big game for us. There is no need for us to hype that up emotionally. That is the game that everybody wants to win.

“There definitely is more interest in the game, which is super-exciting. It definitely feels there’s a real buzz and excitement around the squad from a wider perspective now, which is cool.”