Scotland Women’s head coach, Jamie Dempsey, has made just one change to the team to face England on Saturday at Esher RFC (21 March, kick-off 1.30pm).
After winning her first cap as a substitute in Scotland’s 6 Nations preparation victory over Sweden at Meggetland (32 - 0), Lismore lock Joy Lyth gets her first start in national colours as a replacement for Lana Blyth whose work commitments made her unavailable for selection.
Natalya Macholla fills the space on the bench vacated by Lyth and could make her Scotland debut having started for the development squad against France A last month.
Scotland Women’s back line stays intact for the third successive 6 Nations game with the front and back-row units remaining unchanged for the entire 6 Nations.
Dempsey said: “Joy is a very positive person and a great addition to the team. She’s a very effective lineout jumper and is very mobile around the park so we’re looking to use that against the English as the pace and tempo will be very high.
“Every England team you face is going to be strong. England are one of the best teams in the world because they are one of the best resourced teams in the world, so I think the pressure is on them to get the result.
“There’s a lot spoken about the old rivalry but at the end of the day you get the same two points from beating England as you do from beating anyone else so that’s all we’re focussing on.”
Scotland Women’s team to play England at Kew Rd, Old Deer Pk, Richmond, London on Saturday 21 March (kick-off at 1.30pm)
15 Lucy Millard (Murrayfield Wanderers)
14 Cara D’Silva (Royal High Corstorphine)
13 Laura Steven (Murrayfield Wanderers)
12 Erin Kerr (Richmond)
11 Victoria Blakebrough (Richmond)
10 Tanya Griffith (Royal High Corstorphine)
9 Louise Dalgliesh (Royal High Corstorphine)
1 Heather Lockhart (Hillhead / Jordanhill)
2 Sarah-Louise Walker (Watsonians)
3 Beth Dickens (Murrayfield Wanderers)
4 Louise Moffat (Kirkcaldy)
5 Joy Lyth (Lismore)
6 Lynne Reid (CAPTAIN) (Royal High Corstorphine)
8 Susie Brown (Hillhead / Jordanhill)
7 Ruth Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers)
Replacements
16 Nikki McLeod (Edinburgh University)
17 Ellen Beattie (Murrayfield Wanderers)
18 Natalya Macholla (Stirling County)
19 Keri Holdsworth (Watsonians)
20 Sarah Gill (Murrayfield Wanderers)
21 Suzi Newton (Team Northumbria)
22 Lynsey Douglas (Richmond)

This article was posted on 19-Mar-2009, 19:41 by Hugh Barrow.