Borderers Lisa Thomson, Chloe Rollie and Lana Skeldon in Scotland women’s rugby team to take on Italy

Lisa Thomson in action for Scotland versus the USA at the DAM Health Stadium in Edinburgh in August (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group/SRU)

Hawick’s Thomson, 25, and Skeldon, 29, and Jedburgh’s Rollie, 27, all featured in Sunday’s 55-0 defeat in France and will return at home to Italy this coming Saturday.

That was centre Thomson’s 50th appearance for Scotland after returning from Team GB rugby sevens service in Canada and Hong Kong.

The former Hawick High School pupil, first capped in 2016, was returning to national duty after helping Britain win a bronze medal at last month’s World Rugby Sevens Series’ Hong Kong round.

Chloe Rollie in action for Scotland versus Wales at the DAM Health Stadium in Edinburgh in April (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group/SRU)

“It’s brilliant to see Lisa get her 50th cap as she’s been a stalwart for Scotland women for a long time now,” said Easson, 49.

Worcester Warriors hooker Skeldon is now on 60 caps and Loughborough Lightning full-back Rollie on 55.

Saturday’s match at Edinburgh’s DAM Health Stadium kicks off at 4.45pm and Easson is hoping it will see the Scots break their duck this campaign, having lost 59-7 in England last month and 34-22 hosting Wales at the start of this month prior to Sunday’s defeat in Brittany, leaving them at the bottom of the championship table without any points.

Joining the three Borderers in Saturday’s starting XV, captained by Rachel Malcolm, will be Coreen Grant, Meryl Smith, Francesca McGhie, Helen Nelson, Mairi McDonald, Leah Bartlett, Christine Belisle, Jade Konkel-Roberts, Louise McMillan, Rachel McLachlan and Evie Gallagher, with Jodie Rettie, Anne Young, Elliann Clarke, Eva Donaldson, Eilidh Sinclair, Caity Mattinson, Beth Blacklock and Liz Musgrove as replacements.

Lana Skeldon in action for Scotland against Wales in April at the DAM Health Stadium in Edinburgh (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group/SRU)

Easson added: Easson said: “We’ve made a couple of changes following the game against France as there is an opportunity for us to shake it up a little bit.

“Clearly we are not happy with the result last weekend and there are one or two aspects we are looking to tighten up on but the squad have worked really hard to get back into the mindset of preparing for the next match in quite a tight turnaround.

“We are aware Italy play quite like France in terms of that open, expansive attacking style of play, so we’ve looked at a couple of areas to combat that.”