Scotland are looking to end their Women’s Six Nations campaign on a high over the next fortnight and Chloe Rollie will be key to their chances of doing just that.
A jet-heeled full-back who grew up in the Borders and has a penchant for the spectacular, Rollie has plenty in common with men’s captain Stuart Hogg and will hope to play a similarly influential role for a Scotland side who take on Italy in their final Pool A fixture on Saturday before next weekend’s Finals Day.
The 25-year-old has impressed in both Sevens and 15s since making her international debut in the 2015 Championship, while she has experience of domestic rugby in Scotland, France and England, where she currently shines for Allianz Premier 15s high-flyers Harlequins.
Part of a Scottish squad packed with potential, Rollie has caused headaches for defences around the world in recent years and will be relishing the chance to showcase her talents in a dark blue jersey once more.
EARLY DAYS
Rollie was born in Edinburgh and raised in Jedburgh, a Borders town which lives and breathes rugby.
Despite a population of fewer than 4,000, the town has produced three Scotland men’s captains – Gary Armstrong, Roy Laidlaw and his nephew Greig – and it was the influence of three older brothers which saw Rollie take her first steps in the game.
A sporting all-rounder, Rollie was also a keen athlete and footballer growing up and turned her attentions to the latter aged 15 to represent Heart of Midlothian in the city of her birth.
Craving the contact of the rugby field, however, before long she was back in the oval ball game and spent three years with Melrose Ladies before moving to Murrayfield Wanderers.
Her performances gained attention and she cut short a travelling adventure across Australia – which followed time working as a labourer and dump truck driver for an excavation company – to win her first Scotland cap on the opening weekend of the 2015 Women’s Six Nations.
Following a debut at outside centre against France, Rollie moved to full-back for the visit of Wales the following weekend and has been there ever since, making the No.15 jersey her own through a string of vibrant displays.
MAKING AN IMPACT
Rollie’s first two Women’s Six Nations campaigns were challenging, with Scotland finishing winless in both 2015 and 2016, but 2017 saw signs of progress.
A home win over Wales in Round 3 was followed by a 14-12 triumph against Italy on the final weekend, with Rollie crossing for her first two international tries against the Azzurre.
The full-back’s year got even better come the summer. She was a key part of the Scotland Sevens side who won the Rugby Europe Women’s Sevens Trophy in 2017 and later signed a professional deal with Lille Metropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois (LMRCV) along with international teammates Jade Konkel and Lisa Thomson.
Regular Top 8 rugby advanced Rollie’s game and she had a major impact in the 2018 Women’s Six Nations.
A brace against Wales on the opening weekend set the tone and in Round 4, Rollie played a key role in Scotland’s first away win in the competition for 12 years.
The visitors were digging in to hold on to their one-point lead with 20 minutes remaining at Donnybrook when Rollie seized on a loose pass on her own five-metre line.
A neat step and searing turn of pace later, she crossed for the score which set Scotland on their way to a morale-boosting triumph on the road.
QUINS SWITCH AND TOKYO DREAMS
In 2019, after two years in France, Rollie was snapped up by Harlequins – where she once again joined forces with compatriot Konkel.
Beaten finalists in the previous two seasons, Quins were second in the table when the 2019/20 campaign was declared null and void as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Rollie remains a key part of the Quarters squad and has helped them secure a play-off spot with three matches to spare this season, with the south-west Londoners hoping to get the better of traditional rivals Saracens in the battle for silverware.
Internationally, Rollie has gone from strength to strength and was one of Scotland’s standout performers in the 13-13 draw with France in the re-arranged Round 4 clash last year.
A constant threat with ball in hand, Rollie started the move which set up debutant Rachel Shankland’s try as Bryan Easson’s tenure as head coach started in style.
For all her success to date, however, 2021 could be Rollie’s biggest year yet. In addition to the Women’s Six Nations and Allianz Premier 15s play-offs, the Scot is targeting Tokyo this summer as part of Team GB’s Sevens squad.
The full-back has been named as part of the extended 24-strong training group preparing to go for gold and will hope to make the final cut when the squad is trimmed to 13 prior to July.
Prepare to see a lot more of Rollie in the coming weeks and months but be alert – blink and you’ll miss her.
