Image source, SNSImage caption, Glasgow's Emily Coubrough deputises for the injured Evie Gallagher
- Published34 minutes ago
Glasgow Warriors back row Emily Coubrough will make her Scotland debut in Saturday's Six Nations opener against Wales at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
Coubrough is one of four non-capped players in the squad for head coach Sione Fukofuka's first match in charge, with prop Demi Swann, second row Holland Bogan and scrum-half Rianna Darroch all among the replacements.
The Scots reached the quarter-finals of last year's World Cup under previous head coach Bryan Easson, but have gone through a period of transition with Caity Mattinson, Lisa Cockburn and Jade Konkel all retiring after the tournament.
Fukofuka is also unable to call upon key players Anne Young, Sarah Bonar, Evie Gallagher, Lisa Thomson and Fran McGhie, who are all injured.
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Prop Leah Bartlett will make her 50th Scotland appearance, partnered by Elliann Clarke and experienced hooker Lana Skeldon in the front row.
Hollie Cunningham - who missed the World Cup through injury - joins Emma Wassell as locks, while captain Rachel Malcolm and Alex Stewart are either side of Coubrough in the back row.
Leia Brebner-Holden starts at scrum-half with Helen Nelson outside her, while Meryl Smith and Emma Orr form a formidable centre partnership.
There is a first cap since 2022 for wing Shona Campbell, who joins Rhona Lloyd and Chloe Rollie in the back three.
Fukofuka has gone with a five-three split of forwards and backs on the bench.
Scotland team to face Wales
Scotland: Rollie, Lloyd, Orr, Smith, Campbell, Nelson, Brebner-Holden; Bartlett, Skeldon, Clarke, Wassell, Cunningham, Malcolm, Stewart, Coubrough.
Replacements: Martin, Swann, Poolman, Bogan, Donaldson, Darroch, Wills, Scott.
