Scotland’s women will become full-time players for the remainder of the build-up for the World Cup in New Zealand in October – and potentially after that.
Scotland is currently the only one of the Six Nations not to have announced plans for centrally-contracted professional players. But the women’s squad will be in practice at least for the 11 weeks Murrayfield is footing the wages from their day jobs until the tournament is over.
England and France have entirely full-time professional squads and it was no coincidence they finished first and second in the spring’s TikTok Women’s 6 Nations. Scotland, with ‘player support’ deals rather than contracts, were whitewashed.
Scotland’s first World Cup since 2010
Scottish Rugby has today outlined an unprecedented financial support package for Scotland Women as they prepare for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand this autumn.
Read more: https://t.co/aXgKFLt2zQ pic.twitter.com/ANEJRR01eg
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) June 13, 2022
Prior to that, Scotland won two qualifying tournaments during Covid to win a place at the World Cup for the first time since 2010.
These deals have been extended until the World Cup, with a total of £500,000 spent on the women’s national team in 2022.
But beyond the tournament, there is a “new financial model” which will better support players, said Scottish Rugby’s head of performance Jim Mallinder.
“They are working right now as full-time athletes,” he said. ”They are going to train very, very hard because this is the opportunity of a lifetime.
“How fantastic to play in New Zealand in a WC, the first time in 12 years that they have qualified. I am massively enthusiastic about it.
“To qualify was a great achievement in itself having gone through the pandemic and now we are going through to the World Cup. I am looking forward and I am optimistic.”
‘They’re juggling their work lives and their rugby’
Mallinder said the new arrangement was “financing the time off’’ for players building towards the World Cup.
“What we’re doing is supporting each individual, we’ve had chats with everybody,” he said. “Our players have different careers, we’ve got lecturers, we’ve got accountants, students, a whole range. They’re juggling their work lives and their rugby playing.
“The women are going to their employers and saying they want to prepare properly and professionally.
“They ask to take time off. We are financing that time off.”
After the World Cup, he continued, they would look at “a different financial model” and a domestic club team – potentially playing in England’s Premier 15s tournament.
“We’ll be looking at rewarding performance. What we’re doing now is catering for their careers,” he said.
“We’ve got a club system – a community club game – and we’ve got our international game. And nothing in between.
“What we do need is something in the middle so we can hopefully encourage some of the girls to come up and play, and also for more of our Scotland players to play in.
“There isn’t anything in place at the moment. We are speaking to a lot of different people.
“We can’t just set it up ourselves, we need input from others.”
‘It’s absolutely the right package’
🏉 Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm says the Scottish Rugby Union must "act now" to improve women's rugby in the nation.
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) April 7, 2022
Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm said that squad were happy their individual needs had been met.
“I think it’s absolutely the right package for us,” she said. ““What’s been really impressive for as players is that all of us have been listened to individually, and the support has been updated as a result.
“All we want is the best opportunity to go and compete at the World Cup. In our opinion this statement of intent is exactly what we want.”