Borderers Chloe Rollie, Lana Skeldon and Lisa Thomson named in Scotland starting XV to play Italy in rugby’s Women’s Six Nations

Jedburgh’s Rollie and Hawick’s Skeldon were both in head coach Bryan Easson’s starting line-up for their 46-0 loss at home to England at Edinburgh’s Hive Stadium on Saturday gone, the former playing for the full 80 minutes and the latter going off on the hour mark, with Elis Martin replacing her.

Hawick’s Thomson joined them from the substitutes bench with 41 minutes on the clock, replacing Meryl Smith.

Skeldon and Rollie, 28, started, with the former going off on the hour mark, and centre Thomson, 26, joined them from the bench 41 minutes in.

Hooker Skeldon, 30, is now on 68 caps and full-back Rollie on 64, with centre Thomson, 26, on 58.

Saturday’s match in Parma will be screened live on BBC iPlayer, with kick-off at 4.45pm.

Joining Rollie, Skeldon and Thomson in the Scots’ starting XV, captained by Rachel Malcolm, will be Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Francesca McGhie, Helen Nelson, Caity Mattinson, Molly Wright, Christine Belisle, Eva Donaldson, Louise McMillan, Alex Stewart and Evie Gallagher.

Martin, Smith, Leah Bartlett, Elliann Clarke, Fiona McIntosh, Rachel McLachlan, Mairi McDonald and Coreen Grant will be on the replacements’ bench.

Scotland’s loss to England was their second of the tournament, following one by 15-5 at home to France at the end of March and a 20-18 win in Wales a week earlier, leaving them second bottom of the table, with four points from three fixtures, one place and one point worse off than their hosts.

Skeldon and Thomson started for the Scots in Cardiff, with Rollie coming off the bench five minutes from full-time. Skeldon went off injured just past the hour mark, however, ruling her out of their game against the French a week later.

Thomson was the region’s only starter against the French, with Rollie joining her from the bench 51 minutes in.

Reflecting on Saturday’s thumping by the table-topping English, Easson, 50, said: “We will draw a line under that game and won’t forget that our performances against Wales and France were really good.

“We will regroup, refocus and take learnings as we build into the two big games to come against Italy and Ireland.”

See also …

https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/scotland-need-to-think-positive-ahead-of-trip-to-italy-despite-46-0-thumping-by-england-in-rugbys-womens-six-nations-says-hooker-lana-skeldon-4594130