Rollie gets Scotland call-up

By Harry Scott-Munro
3/11/21

Fresh from her heroics in the Rugby World Cup European Qualifiers, Exeter Chiefs full-back Chloe Rollie has been named in Scotland Women’s Head Coach Bryan Easson’s squad for the upcoming Autumn Test against Japan at the DAM Health Stadium on November 14.

Rollie is likely to come up against two of her Chiefs team-mates in the form of Sachiko Kato and Kanako Kobayashi, with Easson refreshing his squad ahead of the match.

Edinburgh University quartet Shona Campbell, Meryl Smith, Anne Young and Holly McIntyre could all make their Scotland debuts this month, while Worcester Warriors second-row Lyndsay O’Donnell returns to the side, having last played for Scotland during the 2017 Six Nations Championship. O’Donnell is one of 15 Allianz Premier 15s based players in the side.

Speaking ahead of the test, Easson – himself a former Exeter Chiefs player – was excited about the challenge of facing Japan, as his side look to build towards a final push to qualify for New Zealand.

“The upcoming Autumn Test against Japan is a great opportunity for us to learn from our experience in the Rugby World Cup 2021 Europe Qualifiers,” he said. “Japan have recently qualified for the Rugby World Cup as the highest ranked team in the Asia qualification process so this will be an ideal test for us as it exposes us to a different opponent and playing style ahead of our final qualification tournament next year.”

The match will also finally see the Scots play in front of a home crowd for the first time in nearly two years and Easson was excited about the prospect ahead of the match.

"The players are also excited to run out in front of a home crowd for the first time since 2019, especially as they've played mostly behind closed doors for the past 18 months. We've all hugely missed having crowds, so it'll be fantastic to have supporters along at the DAM Health Stadium to cheer the players on."

Scotland’s last encounter against the Japanese was in November 2019; ironically also being the last match they played in front of a home crowd, with Japan taking the spoils that day with a 20-24 win.

Easson’s squad recently kept their World Cup ambitions in sight following two back-to-back wins against Spain and Ireland during the Rugby World Cup 2021 Europe Qualifiers in Parma, with that recent success, also seeing them rise to an all-time high of ninth in the Women’s World Rugby rankings.

SCOTLAND SQUAD TO FACE JAPAN

Forwards

Leah Bartlett (Loughborough Lightning) – 10 caps
Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning) – 10 caps
Sarah Bonar (Harlequins) – 24 caps
Lisa Cockburn (Darlington Mowden Park) – 21 caps
Evie Gallagher (Stirling County) – 6 caps
Jade Konkel (Harlequins) – 47 caps
Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning) – 22 caps
Rachel McLachlan (Sale Sharks) – 22 caps
Louise McMillan (Hillhead Jordanhill) – 29 caps
Lyndsay O’Donnell (Worcester Warriors) – 15 caps
Lana Skeldon (Worcester Warriors) – 46 caps
Emma Wassell (Loughborough Lightning) – 50 caps
Molly Wright (Watsonians) – 8 caps
Anne Young (Edinburgh University) – uncapped

Backs

Shona Campbell (Edinburgh University) – uncapped
Megan Gaffney (Loughborough Lightning) – 37 caps
Sarah Law (Sale Sharks) – 46 caps
Rhona Lloyd (Les Lionnes du Stade Bordelais) – 31 caps
Jenny Maxwell (Loughborough Lightning) – 35 caps
Holly McIntyre (Edinburgh University) – uncapped
Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning) – 35 caps
Chloe Rollie (Exeter Chiefs) – 43 caps
Hannah Smith (Watsonians) – 29 caps
Meryl Smith (Edinburgh University) - uncapped
Lisa Thomson (Sale Sharks) – 38 caps
Evie Wills (Hillhead Jordanhill) – 1 cap