Scotland Women name Six Nations squad
Last updated on .From the section Scottish Rugby
Scotland Women's head coach Jules Maxton has opted for a mix of youth and experience for the forthcoming Six Nations campaign.
Worcester prop Tracy Balmer captains the team again in the front row beside 71-times capped Heather Lockhart.
Maxton has brought three new players into the squad.
Wasps outside centre Nuala Deans, flanker Jude Telford of Murrayfield Wanderers and Melrose full-back Chloe Rollie hope to make their debuts.
Back row Rachael Cook will be looking to add to the five caps she won last season.
In the backs, 19-times-capped stand-off Lisa Martin is joined by Selkirk-born winger Mhairi Grieve, who made her international debut in the away warm-up match against Italy last year.
Maxton said: "The first few months of our season have seen us play Italy away, a valuable experience, stage a number of camps and take part in a training game with the Nomads.
| Scotland Women's Six Nations fixtures |
|---|
| 7 Feb: France v Scotland, Stade Henri Desgranges, La Roche sur Yon, 14:00 local time |
| 14 Feb: Scotland v Wales, Broadwood Stadium, 17:00 GMT |
| 1 Mar: Scotland v Italy, Broadwood Stadium, 13:00 GMT |
| 13 Mar: England v Scotland, Northern Echo Arena, Darlington, 19:35 GMT |
| 22 Mar: Scotland v Ireland, Broadwood Stadium, 13:00 GMT |
"All our preparations have gone well and the build up to the Six Nations concludes with a camp at the end of this month, before our opening game, away against France."
Scotland's first match of the Six Nations is in France, followed by two home games on the synthetic pitch at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld against Wales and Italy.
Their penultimate game is away to World Cup winners England in Darlington and the final match is at home to Ireland.
In last season's tournament Scotland finished bottom of the group with no wins from their five games. They scored one try and lost a total of 261 points.
Scotland Women Six Nations squad
Forwards: Karen Dunbar (RHC Cougars), Deborah McCormack (Richmond), Rachael Cook (Watsonians), Heather Lockhart (Hillhead Jordanhill), Sarah Quick, Emma Wassell, Lisa Robertson (all Murrayfield Wanderers), Lana Skeldon (Melrose), Christianne Fahey (Murrayfield Wanderers) Lyndsay O'Donnell (Worcester), Fiona Sim (Saracens), Tracy Balmer (Worcester), Jade Konkel, Lindsey Smith (Hillhead Jordanhill), Bridget Millar-Mills (Waterloo), Jude Telford (Murrayfield Wanderers).
Backs: Lisa Martin (Murrayfield Wanderers), Gillian Inglis (Melrose), Nuala Deans (Wasps), Emma McBride (Hillhead Jordanhill), Claire Bain (RHC Cougars) Sarah Law (Murrayfield Wanderers), Chloe Rollie (Melrose), Eilidh Sinclair (Murrayfield Wanderers), Jenny Maxwell (Lichfield), Abi Evans (Northumbria University), Mhairi Grieve (RHC Cougars), Hannah Smith (Hillhead Jordanhill).
