Why Uncertainty Clouds Scotland Future Despite Fine World Cup

Scotland whitethorn person enjoyed their champion Women's Rugby World Cup run since 2002, but immoderate post-tournament buzz evaporated successful nan media area aft Sunday's quarter-final conclusion by England.

A elemental mobility was posed to nan players - what next? All answered successful similar, uncertain fashion.

Many players, conscionable for illustration media and supporters, do not know.

Just 15 players are rumoured to beryllium contracted, aliases supported, successful nan coming months. We are yet to beryllium told precisely which players those are.

And who will lead them? We cognize it will not beryllium Bryan Easson, caput coach for nan erstwhile 5 years, who has taken them to caller heights.

The last whistle successful Bristol did not conscionable extremity Scotland's campaign, it signalled nan extremity of an era.

The caller dawn remains shrouded successful fog, a heavy haar that has clouded each nan optimism built connected nan performances of this brave, yet belittled, squad.

Although nan number of contracts is yet to beryllium officially confirmed, number 8 Jade Konkel and prop Molly Wright confirmed they had not been offered caller deals.

Konkel, Lisa Cockburn and Caity Mattinson person announced their world retirements, pinch nan erstwhile delivering a scathing parting changeable by asserting that nan squad made it to nan past 8 "through nary thief of nan SRU".

The speculation astir nan fig of 15 seems astatine likelihood pinch what Scottish Rugby main executive Alex Williamson told nan BBC's Scottish Rugby Podcast earlier this month.

"We are going to put much than we've ever invested, and person much master players than we've ever had, but we are successful a transitional moment," he said.

"It's presently 32 and our anticipation is, up present successful Scotland, we'll extremity up pinch much than that - astir apt 35 plus."

He went connected to connote that immoderate players who had not had their statement renewed did not person clubs for adjacent play down south. However, Konkel has confirmed she will stay pinch Harlequins while Wright has a statement pinch Sale Sharks.

"There are players wrong nan existent World Cup squad who person not had their contracts to play down southbound renewed," Williamson said. "Therefore, they are without a nine statement from us.

"The responsibility is past connected them to spell find a statement pinch a squad successful England.

"They could proceed to play for Scotland, we would springiness them a nationalist squad agreement, for illustration they're presently playing connected successful nan World Cup. That's still imaginable for them.

"We're not successful a position to connection each of those women contracts."

Listen: Alex Williamson connected BBC's Scottish Rugby Podcast

04/09/25

It besides remains unclear what happened erstwhile Easson was relieved of his duties. The timing of nan announcement, a period earlier nan World Cup, has besides been queried.

Scottish Rugby's capacity head David Nucifora intimated nan determination was made by nan caput coach himself. Williamson sang a akin tune.

"Brian and I had a very straightforward conversation, a affirmative conversation, it was constructive," he said.

"As we mapped retired what was going to beryllium happening successful women's rugby, we agreed together this was a bully opportunity, nan correct time, for him to leave."

After nan quarter-final, Easson was asked if he had wanted to enactment connected aft this tournament, and said: "We had conversations astir it. It's 1 of these things. The determination was made.

"Once these decisions are made, it's vitally important that I support immoderate nan decisions are."

The waters muddied moreover further, then. A mobility we mightiness ne'er person nan reply to. Either way, Easson is retired - on pinch defence coach Tyrone Holmes - and a successor must beryllium found.

Following Konkel's comments successful nan aftermath of nan 40-8 nonaccomplishment to England, erstwhile players were speedy to support her sentiment.

"It's decidedly a adjacent comment," erstwhile skipper Lisa Martin said. "They utilized nan emotion to say, 'this is what we're about, this is nan level we tin play at' and unit that respect upon themselves.

"It's been truthful frustrating that astir of this World Cup has been centred astir each nan things that person been happening down nan scenes, particularly erstwhile Scotland person performed truthful strongly.

"Conversations request to commencement happening, particularly astir nan bequest of this World Cup - not only from a playing constituent of position and what nan squad will look for illustration going forward, but what nan nine crippled looks for illustration going forward.

"We don't cognize what they're wanting to do disconnected nan backmost of this. In position of nan nationalist team, what is nan capacity pathway looking like? At nan moment, location hasn't been 1 confirmed."

Former prop Heather Lockhart agreed, powerfully criticising nan timing of nan statement talks that Williamson called unavoidable.

"That [timing] should ne'er person been nan case," Lockhart said. "It's testament to nan characteristic and resoluteness of each nan 32 [players], nan guidance and nan coaching unit that Scotland sewage to nan quarter-finals.

"Fifteen full-time contracts is not enough. It takes a squad of 32 to execute astatine nan highest level.

"I'm urging some boards astatine Scottish Rugby to look astatine this arsenic a matter of urgency and remedy nan situation. There mightiness beryllium semipermanent plans, which is great, but location has to beryllium a transitional play for things to beryllium sorted out."

Following disapproval from players successful nan aftermath of Sunday's defeat, Scottish Rugby was asked for remark but said it did not wish to talk "individual contracts".