Chloe Rollie predicts fast start for Scotland in quarter-final against England
Rollie has again been named at full-back and forms a potent back three with wings Rhona Lloyd and Francesca McGhie
Chloe Rollie has predicted a fast start for her Scotland side against England as they prepare to do battle in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final.
Rollie has again been named at full-back and forms a potent back three with wings Rhona Lloyd and Francesca McGhie, who have scored nine tries between them Two of McGhie’s tries have come 55 and 94 seconds into games, and Rollie is backing the same to happen again on Sunday.
She said: “We have looked at how we can get on top of them in the first 20 minutes and how we can keep that momentum. We have looked at how we can manipulate their backs, how we can manipulate their forwards to move in, and how we can really focus on their weaknesses and exploit them in those areas.
“We are looking to play with a lot of variety still. You can never switch off [against England]; you’ll get caught out if you do switch off even for a split second. They are strong, they are powerful, and they will take every opportunity they get.”
The backs are unchanged and it is the same seven used in each of the past three World Cup matches.
Club-mates Leia Brebner-Holden and Helen Nelson form the half-back pairing, with Lisa Thomson and Emma Orr in the centres.
Rollie added: “Our backs in general have played really well, we have managed to ship the ball wide, managed to unlock our backs. We have had potential for years now, we just had not figured out how to unlock that and how to use our players to our advantage. I think that is what we are doing now and we have spotted that you can really use these players to get the results we want.
“And in getting the ball wide we can let them use their strengths and superpowers to get us over that line, and it is definitely working that way.”
Rollie says Scotland will evoke the spirit of Braveheart as they prepare to go to war against England. They face the Auld Enemy in the last eight in Bristol and are searching for a first win over the Red Roses since 1999.
Rollie grew up in Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders, a place that knows a thing or two about repelling the English, but now Scotland must try to do it in their opponents’ backyard.
“We focus a lot on passion and being Scottish, especially when we play England,” she said. “We focus on how we can get that emotional side—it doesn’t take much, to be fair—but how we can get ourselves riled up and also just remember that they are rugby players like the rest of us, and anyone can beat them on the day.
“It is possible, and I think it is just about getting the passion there and almost the Braveheart feel of it.”
Rachel Malcolm will captain Scotland for the 53rd time – a record for any Scotland rugby team. She will be in the back row alongside Evie Gallagher, who has moved to openside flanker, as Jade Konkel makes her first start of the World Cup at number eight.
Christine Belisle has been parachuted into the front row having been called up to replace props Elliann Clarke and Lisa Cockburn. She starts at tighthead prop, with Lana Skeldon at hooker and Leah Bartlett at loosehead.
With more than 400,000 tickets already sold, and prices starting at just £5 for children and £10 for adults, fans are encouraged to secure their tickets now via tickets.rugbyworldcup.com