Scottish Rugby

Image source, SNS

Influential centre Emma Orr will miss the rest of the Women's Six Nations after picking up an injury in Scotland's opening victory over Wales last weekend.

The Bristol Bears back, 23, went down clutching her knee after attempting a tackle on Wales scrum-half Keira Bevan and was subsequently replaced by Evie Wills.

Scotland have announced she will miss the rest of the tournament and will be replaced in the squad by Montpellier's Holly McIntyre.

The Scots won the game in Cardiff 24-19 and are back in action on Saturday as they host England.

Do you have any burning questions for our rugby experts after Glasgow Warriors were knocked out of the Champions Cup with a bruising home quarter-final defeat to Toulon?

Or maybe you want to know more about Scotland's winning start to the Women's Six Nations following their victory over Wales in Cardiff?

Send in your questions via this link and a selection will be answered and published on this page later in the week.

Image source, SNS

Glasgow coach Roddy Grant believes that travelling to South Africa together can be the best way for the team to put their Champions League disappointment behind them.

A painful home defeat to Toulon on Saturday ended hopes of success in one competition, but the United Rugby Championship leaders are now turning their attention to triumph in another.

The team is heading to Johannesburg on Tuesday ahead of a clash with the Lions on Saturday and a top-of-the-table showdown with the Stormers the following weekend.

Grant says spending a good deal of time together after the Six Nations and some big matches can be the right boost at the right time.

"It's really exciting," he said. "It's a different country, so that's refreshing. We're all together for two weeks now.

"I know the Scotland guys have been back for a little bit (after the Six Nations), but some of the guys came back injured and haven't been around, so it's a really good chance for the collective to get over a disappointment together.

"We've got to get over it very quickly ahead of the weekend but it's a great chance of being together at this stage of the season where you really want to get tight and really focus on the end point of the season, so that's a real benefit.

"When you're playing a long season, anything new is refreshing. So it's a different country, it's a slightly different way of playing, big physical challenge, exciting rugby that the Lions and the Stormers are playing.

"There's a lot to be excited about that's different to the norm."

Image source, SNS

Scotland's Holland Bogan said she enjoyed an "unreal" experience after helping her team beat Wales in their Women's Six Nations opener.

The 21-year-old came off the bench to make her debut as the Scots fought to a 24-19 victory at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Chloe Rollie, Shona Campbell and Lucia Scott all scored tries, while Helen Nelson's assured kicking helped Scotland gain the upper hand in the second half.

But the visitors did have to withstand late pressure and survive Demi Swann's 85th-minute yellow card before a mistake from the Welsh line-out saw the Scots clinch victory.

Glasgow forward Bogan said in a Scottish Rugby video: "It was unreal. Playing in this stadium is always amazing. Playing with this team is really special. We talk about it all the time.

"I am just so grateful. I have been waiting for it for a while, but this was the perfect time.

It was really physical, Wales are always really physical. Fair play to Wales for sticking it out for 85 minutes or however long it was, but even fairer play on the girls for sticking it out defensively as well."

Rugby fans, we asked you for your opinions on Glasgow's disappointing defeat to Toulon in the Champions Cup quarter-finals. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

David: Toulon did enough in the first half to cause a few worries and they were realised at the end. Disappointed for the team but maybe last week took its toll. Glasgow missed their heavy hitters in the pack. George Horne would've made a significant difference (though Ben Afshar played well last week, he doesn't pose the same threat around the ruck as Horne does, or the speed). The Nacho Brex try was a sucker punch but what appalling defence! Has Sione Tuipulotu lost a bit of mojo? All in all, Toulon deserved the win.

Brian: We just didn't play our game to the standards we have all season. We missed the tempo of Horne; the ball delivery was slow for the majority of the game and that takes away our DNA. Very disappointing result because I thought this was going to be our year, but it's been a great campaign with many positives. All in for the URC now but two difficult away games in South Africa coming up which will shape our play off route.

Alan: What a shame that we kept our poorest performance of the season for our most important game of the season! The Warriors were no where near their usual standards. At least we still have the URC to go for. We need George Horne to be fit ASAP.

Gullyman: It's not often there are negative comments following a Glasgow performance and rightly so as they have been very good so far this season. Yesterday was just one of those days when mistakes were made too often and the opposition raised their game as a result. There will be lessons learned and the squad will deliver on URC.

Stuart: The fundamental truth is this was just a step too far. Glasgow don't have the squad depth to provide nearly the full Scotland team to the Six Nations and then deal with the resulting injuries whilst still competing deep into two competitions.

Franco Smith should be applauded, I guarantee every other team at this stage of the Champions Cup has significantly more resources than Glasgow.

Hats off to Toulon, they shut down Glasgow's attacking game. You can debate the legalities of how they did that but at the end of the day Toulon spent the majority of the second half putting Glasgow under pressure and they couldn't find the answers.

Scotland began a new era under Sione Fukofuka with a narrow victory over Wales in the opening round of the Women's Six Nations.

Read the full match report here

Have your say on the game via this link

Image source, SNS

Helen Nelson: "It was a little bit tight at the end, we got our defensive play in finally.

"It's always tight against Wales but I'm just proud that we put in that full 85-minute performance and managed to get the win.

"It's been a fast pre-season, we've had 12 days together so we're just focusing on us, we've got a lot of experienced players but also those young players that came in today. Just trying to get to know each other off the pitch, get those connections and then show that on the field."

Meryl Smith: "We're so happy to get the win, Wales made it so hard and we didn't make it easily for ourselves also.

"To be back in blue means the world, and I've defiantly missed it and be back in the squad with the win today was the cherry on top.

"We're looking to get more expansive rugby, play a bit wider and the Welsh defensive was really strong and hitting that back with the adaptability.

"I think we didn't front up as much as we should have first half, we need to improve on that for next week in front of the home crowd.

"We need to play like we did in the second half, but it was a blow loosing Emma Orr but we adapted well."

Glasgow Warriors were sensationally dumped out of the Champions Cup quarter-finals by a ruthless Toulon at Scotstoun.

Read the full match report here

Have your say on the game via this link

Image source, SNS

Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith: "First of all I'm really proud of the campaign.

"I don't think people know how tough it is. I think we were inaccurate in the first half. Enough to be proud of and enough to learn from but obviously tonight we're going to be very disappointed.

"Toulon defended well. Defence wins finals, we know that and they did it well. I thought we defended really well in large parts. There were one or two soft tries which is annoying and will be a regret.

"The expectation was massive and that sometimes creeps under the skin of the players. We must get used to playing these big games and you would think with the amount of test match rugby we've played that would help. I think the expectation played a role in the inaccuracy but we're going to look back and take enough positives to progress again.

"There were some good opportunities missed because we'd rather keep the ball than pass it. I think it's important to us to take the learnings from this and see how we can improve.

"The important thing is to be accurate. There were five or six opportunities we could have taken and if we were a little bit more accurate it would have changed the outcome. Every opportunity is important. We just need to be a little bit more clinical and precise."

Image source, SNS

Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm says she is excited about the team's future under Sione Fukofuka as they prepare to face Wales in their Guinness Women's Six Nations opener.

Fukofuka was previously assistant coach of his native Australia and head coach of the United States. The new head coach has brought new players into the squad immediately, with Glasgow back-row forward Emily Coubrough starting at the Principality Stadium, while uncapped Demi Swann, Holland Bogan and Rianna Darroch will be on the bench in Cardiff.

Malcolm believes there's been a reset that has everyone ready to take another step forward.

"I'm feeling hugely excited, she said on the Scottish Rugby YouTube channel. "It's obviously always the most exciting time of the year for us, the Women's Six Nations, and to have what is a pretty new-look squad under a new management team truly feels like the start of a new era.

"With the new faces coming in, they've come in in brilliant shape and look really promising in all aspects of the game, so I'm super excited for them to get their opportunity.

"As a captain, there's a responsibility on my shoulders to get us all on the same page, both on and off the pitch, as quickly as we can, but I'm really fortunate that I've got a very strong group of leaders and a support system around me that have helped me in that.

"I've just been super impressed by the way everyone's just kind of got with the Scotland way.

"We've had a huge amount of fun, even though it's been pretty full-on, and I think that's the way that we play our best, when we've got a smile on our face and we're enjoying our time in camp.

"It's cool to see that even with this new group, it still feels like the same old Scotland."

Image source, SNS

Saracens flanker Andy Onyeama-Christie has been ruled out of action for the rest of the season with a fractured arm.

His club have said he will play no further part in the current campaign, which concludes in June.

The injury also puts the 10-time capped Scotland international in doubt for the inaugural Nations Championships this summer. The national team face Argentina in Cordoba, then Fiji at Murrayfield in the new compeition in July.

For Onyeama-Christie, 27, it is the latest in a series of injuries in recent seasons, having twice previously broken his arm and also fracturing and dislocating his ankle.

He has played in 19 games for the London club this campaign and agreed new terms to extend his stay in February.

Image source, SNS

Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith has made two changes for Saturday's Champions Cup quarter-final clash against RC Toulon.

An unchanged front-row sees Patrick Schickerling continue at loose-head alongside Gregor Hiddleston and Zander Fagerson up front.

Jare Oguntibeju partners Alex Samuel in the second row, the former coming into the starting XV for the showdown with the French heavyweights.

The back-row sees Jack Dempsey line up at number eight, with Rory Darge and Matt Fagerson completing the loose forward trio.

Behind the scrum, Ben Afshar starts at scrum-half in place of the injured George Horne, as he partners Dan Lancaster in the half-backs.

Stafford McDowall continues at outside centre after picking up player of the match in the win over Bulls last week, he lines up alongside Sione Tuipulotu as the midfield combination.

Kyle Steyn once again leads his team from the wing and the back-three is rounded out by Ollie Smith and Josh McKay.

Max Williamson rotates to the bench after starting last time out, with Angus Fraser and Euan Ferrie completing a six-two split of forwards and backs.

The back-line is covered by Adam Hastings and Jack Oliver, who could make his first appearance in the Champions Cup should he come off the bench.

"Toulon are well accustomed to knockout matches of this scale, with a proud heritage of success in this competition," Smith said.

"They have a squad that blends a physical forward pack with a back line that can cause problems for any team, and we know that we must be at our best to meet their challenge."

Glasgow Warriors XV to face Toulon: Schickerling, Hiddleston, Fagerson, Oguntibeju, Samuel, Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey, Afshar, Lancaster, Smith, Tuipulotu, McDowall, Steyn, McKay.

Replacements: Stephen, Bhatti, Talakai, Williamson, Ferrie, Fraser, Oliver, Hastings.

BBC Sport Scotland's Andy Burke has been answering some of your Scottish rugby questions.

Stuart asked: Can Glasgow beat Toulon and go all the way in the Champions Cup?

Andy answered: I make Glasgow favourites to beat Toulon, but it will be another stern test.

Warriors are unbeaten at Scotstoun in a year, Toulon are 11th in the Top 14 and their record on the road is poor.

That being said, the French side are packed with quality players who, if they click into gear, are more than a match for anyone.

As with the Bulls last week, it will be a huge challenge for the boys up front, but as Toulouse, Saracens, Leinster and the Bulls have all found out this season, Glasgow have the steel in the pack to go with the style out the back.

I fancy Warriors to find a way through Toulon, perhaps by a score. A semi-final against Leinster at Murrayfield would be a titanic battle. I'd say Glasgow would still be slight underdogs, but they could do it.

Can they go all the way? I think on neutral ground in Bilbao, Toulouse or Bordeaux would be too strong were they to face one of those sides in the final. But let's take it one game at a time!

Paul asked: A lot has been said about the coaching set-up at Edinburgh, but should the playing squad get a refresh?

Andy answered: In a word, yes.

You would like to think Edinburgh will be announcing some signings in the near future. The club needs to give their fans reasons to believe next season is going to be better than what their team has served up in this dismal campaign.

I think the midfield needs serious surgery. Nobody has grabbed the number 10 jersey and made it their own, and although Ross Thompson showed glimpses of quality against Leinster, a tried and tested playmaker must be a priority. A nine to provide some proper competition for Ben Vellacott – who thrives with front-foot ball but whose game management can sometimes be suspect – would be a smart move.

The centre partnership has chopped and changed far too often and to little effect. I would like to see some upgrades in that department.

With Boan Venter departing in the summer, some loosehead prop cover will also be required.

That's a lot of work needing done and it's unlikely Edinburgh will go beyond Scotland to sign players in all those positions, so we have to hope there are some properly talented academy players waiting in the wings to step up.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Scotland head coach Sione Fukofuka expects Wales to adopt a power game when the sides meet in Saturday's Women's Six Nations opener on Saturday.

The sides last met in the opening match of last year's Rugby World Cup, when the Scots ran out convincing 38-8 winners in Salford.

But Fukofuka, who leads Scotland for the first time having taken charge of the team in January, expects a much tighter encounter at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

"The rivalry probably doesn't have to be spoken about too much," Fukofuka said. "But the intent that we've approached this week in particular has been really, really exciting, so just now looking forward to kick-off.

"When you watch that [World Cup] game, it took a long time for Scotland to break that team down. Wales stayed in the contest, so we're expecting them to come with a lot of physicality.

"We're expecting them to compete everywhere, the collision zone in particular. They've picked a 6-2 bench, so it's a bit of a telling sign that they want to come physically at us.

"We're really prepared and pretty confident in the work that we put in that we're ready for what they're bringing."

Francesca McGhie, who scored a hat-trick of tries in that World Cup victory over Wales, has just missed out on the matchday 23 as she recovers from a shoulder injury, with Fukofuka expecting to have the wing available to face England at Murrayfield in round two.

Image source, SNS

"Nothing has changed" at Edinburgh despite an improved performance against Leinster, says BBC Scotland's chief sports writer Tom English.

Sean Everitt's side were beaten 49-31 in the last 16 of the Champions Cup at the weekend, a result that effectively ends their season.

"I think Leinster showed Edinburgh zero respect," English said on the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast. "I thought there was a terrible arrogance about what Leinster were trying to do. It was astonishing.

"Edinburgh's pressure and physicality was right up there to force interceptions and knock-ons. They dug in, they made a game of it. They lost it by plenty in the end but that was better than I thought they would do.

"Edinburgh have a very good pack, even though they might be missing a few. I thought they would come out all guns blazing, their season was riding on it.

"We see from Edinburgh that there's a good team desperately trying to break out - maybe not trying that hard but there is a good team there.

"They have a lot of decent things in place but it just never comes out or it will only come out for 10 or 15 minutes in the game.

"That performance didn't change anything for me. I think they need big change, not just at assistant coach level.

"They need to remove Sean Everitt, I think Edinburgh deserve a better, more experienced coach and then we might see Edinburgh move up a level."

Tom English and Andy Burke are on the road at Oriam reflecting on Glasgow and Edinburgh's fortunes in Europe as well as previewing Scotland's Women in the Six Nations and Glasgow Warriors' home Champions Cup semi–final against Toulon.

Will Edinburgh's season finish on Sunday if they lose to Leinster? Will an Edinburgh defeat mean the end for Everitt? And can Glasgow do something special in the Cup without affecting their URC campaign? Tom and Andy have you covered.

Is there a good team waiting to come out following Edinburgh's performance against Leinster at the weekend? How far can Glasgow go in the competition?

Tom and Andy are also chatting to new Scotland Women's attack coach Dave Butcher about why he's left his family in Canada to coach Scotland, plus full back Chloe Rollie and captain Rachel Malcolm fill them in on their preparations for the Six Nations and their opening match away to Wales at the Principality stadium.

Listen and subscribe on BBC Sounds

Image source, SNS

Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm admits her side might have to take a step backwards in some areas at this year's Six Nations, but is enthused by a new era with the national team.

Australian Sione Fukofuka replaced Bryan Easson as head coach in December, with defence coach Tyrone Holmes also leaving the set-up.

Caity Mattinson, Lisa Cockburn and Jade Konkel ended their international careers after last year's World Cup, with the latter among players critical of Scottish Rugby for a perceived lack of support for the women's national team.

The Scots are also without key players Anne Young and Evie Gallagher through injury.

They start their campaign in Cardiff on Saturday against Wales, who they beat 38-8 at the World Cup.

"If I look at it from a realistic perspective, I don't think it's going to be perfect. I don't know where we're going to be," Malcolm told BBC Scotland before the Six Nations opener.

"I'm very confident in the work we've done, but it is a new cycle. We've had two weeks as a group.

"It's exciting because we're going to see where we're at. Until you're put in that Test match arena, you don't know.

"I think there might be a step back in some areas, but hopefully a step forward in more."

Malcolm might not be sure where Scotland will stand in this year's Six Nations, but she knows where they want to get to.

"We are at the start of a new cycle, but by the end of this cycle we don't want to be seen as an underdog," she said.

"We want to be a team that other teams see as a threat and to do that we need to string together consistent performances.

"We want to be a team fighting in that top four, five teams in the world and we're at an exciting point in that journey. Everything's new, everything's fresh."

Grant Young
Fan writer

Two of the URC's biggest teams went head to head on Saturday as Storm Dave tried its best to disrupt the Champions Cup last-16 match between Glasgow and Bulls.

Some of the other ties in the competition were basked in sunshine but not Scotstoun as all four seasons hit in the space of two hours.

Both teams were packed with internationals and left it all on the table with a space in the quarter-finals at stake.

The returning Stafford McDowall carried incredibly and hit his tackles like life depended on it. His reaction and cheer when he scored in the corner was deserved.

Josh Mackay was superb at 15 despite the wet and blustery conditions and was unlucky to not get on the scoresheet.

The game was marred with handling errors which is to be expected in the conditions but definitely something the coaching staff will look to tidy up before they face French giants Toulon in the next round.

A one-point victory over Stormers was enough for them to make the trip to Scotstoun on Saturday.

The French side have struggled domestically but have set their sights on Champions Cup success this season.

With a squad littered in international class to call upon, a great set-piece and a monstrous pack, it will be an almighty battle on Saturday.

Can Glasgow keep believing all the way to the semi-finals?