Borderers Lana Skeldon and Chloe Rollie named in Scotland women’s rugby team to face champions England at weekend

Lana Skeldon during a Scotland training session at the Oriam in Edinburgh in September 2022 (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group/SRU)

The Scots start their latest championship campaign against the current champions at Newcastle’s Kingston Park tomorrow, March 25, with kick-off at 4.45pm, and that match will be screened live on BBC Two.

Easson’s team lost 57-5 to England at Edinburgh’s DAM Health Stadium in the opening game of 2022’s championship, with Rollie scoring their only try, so they’ll be hoping for better fortune this time round and also to improve on their bottom-of-the table finish with only three losing bonus points to their name.

Hawick’s Skeldon, 29, is currently on 57 caps and Jedburgh’s Rollie, 27, is on 52.

Chloe Rollie playing for Loughborough Lightning against Sale Sharks in February in Northampton (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Joining Worcester Warriors hooker Skeldon and Loughborough Lightning full-back Rollie in the Scottish starting line-up, captained by Rachel Malcolm, are Coreen Grant, Emma Orr, Meryl Smith, Francesca McGhie, Helen Nelson, Caity Mattinson, Leah Bartlett, Christine Belisle, Lyndsay O’Donnell, Louise McMillan, Rachel McLachlan and Evie Gallagher.

Jodie Rettie, Anne Young, Elliann Clarke, Eva Donaldson, Eilidh Sinclair, Mairi McDonald, Beth Blacklock and Liz Musgrove will be on the replacements’ bench.

Easson, 49, said: “We’re really excited to play against the best team in the world at a sold-out stadium in Newcastle.

“It has been really good to integrate the group back together over the last four weeks and to start kicking on for this Six Nations.

“We’ve got a lot of new young faces and lot of experience still in here and a squad really excited to get going.”

Round two of the Six Nations brings a visit to Edinburgh from Wales – 24-19 victors against the Scots in Cardiff last time round, with Skeldon scoring one of the visitors’ three tries – on Saturday, April 1, with kick-off at 5.30pm.

That’s followed by a trip to Vannes to play France – 28-8 winners against Scotland at Glasgow’s Scotstoun Stadium in 2022 on their way to a second-placed finish, with Rollie getting the hosts’ sole try – on Sunday, April 16, at 3.15pm.

Round four sees Easson’s team hosting Italy in Edinburgh on Saturday, April 22, at 4.45pm, the Italians having beaten them 20-13 in Parma last year.

Their last fixture of the tournament is at home to Ireland on Saturday, April 29, at 7.30pm, the Irish having edged Scotland out by 15-14 in Belfast in 2022.