Bryan Easson has made four changes to the Scotland side that will face Italy at Scotstoun this Saturday in Round 3 of the Women’s Six Nations.
The Scots will be looking to bounce back from defeat to England in their last outing, and take on the Azzurre with both sides looking to secure a second-place finish in Pool A ahead of next weekend’s Super Saturday Finals Day.
There is a first international start for Evie Gallagher in Glasgow, with the blindside flanker replacing skipper Rachel Malcolm in the starting XV after the Loughborough Lightning star was ruled out with a knee injury.
Gallagher will line up alongside Rachel McLachlan and Siobhan Cattigan in the back row, as both keep their places after the loss to the Red Roses, as do Emma Wassell and Louise McMillan in the second row.
The other change in the pack sees tighthead prop Megan Kennedy return from injury to take her place next to Lana Skeldon and Leah Bartlett up front.
Sarah Law will be enjoying her first taste of this year’s Championship after being recalled at fly-half, where she will be pulling the strings with Mairi McDonald at No.9.
Helen Nelson will take the armband for the Round 3 clash, as she shifts along to centre for the visit of the Italians to team up with Lisa Thomson, WITH regular starter Hannah Smith missing the clash due to her involvement in the GB Sevens camp.
Liz Musgrove also comes into the starting line-up in place of Rachel Shankland on the wing, while Megan Gaffney and Chloe Rollie complete the back three.
Evie Wills and Coreen Grant could both be in line for an international debut this weekend, if Easson calls on their services from the bench, with the Scotland head coach eager for his side to lay down a marker.
Easson said: “We will be looking to build on the positive aspects of our performance against England, particularly our set-piece and resilience on the pitch.
“I was really impressed with our ability to put England under pressure in that second half, but we will now be looking for the players to bring that form for the full 80 minutes against Italy and turn the pressure into points.”
Scotland team:
15. Chloe Rollie (Harlequins)
14. Liz Musgrove (Unattached)
13. Lisa Thomson (Unattached)
12. Helen Nelson – captain (Loughborough Lightning)
11. Megan Gaffney (Heriots)
10. Sarah Law (Unattached)
9. Mairi McDonald (Hillhead Jordanhill)
1. Leah Bartlett (Loughborough Lightning)
2. Lana Skeldon (Unattached)
3. Megan Kennedy (Stirling County)
4. Emma Wassell (Corstorphine Cougars)
5. Louise McMillan (Hillhead Jordanhill)
6. Evie Gallagher (Stirling County)
7. Rachel McLachlan (Unattached)
8. Siobhan Cattigan (Stirling County)
Replacements
16. Jodie Rettie (Saracens)
17. Lisa Cockburn (Darlington Mowden Park)
18. Panashe Muzambe (Edinburgh University / Watsonians)
19. Christine Belisle (Cartha Queens Park)
20. Nicola Howat (Sale Sharks)
21. Jenny Maxwell (Loughborough Lightning)
22. Evie Wills (Stirling County)
23. Coreen Grant (Saracens)
