Nine Warriors selected for inaugural U20 Summer Series clash

Nine of the inaugural Glasgow Warriors women’s squad will take to the field for Scotland U20 tomorrow night, as Claire Cruikshank’s team prepares to take on Italy in their first-ever match in the Six Nations Women’s Summer Series.

The fixture – which will take place in Parma tomorrow night – sees the next generation of Scottish talent pull on the dark blue jersey for the first time in the new competition, with matches against France and Ireland to follow over the next fortnight.

Holland Bogan spearheads the Glasgow contingent, the second-rower named in the engine room after being named as the club’s inaugural Coaches’ Player of the Season after an outstanding campaign in the Celtic Challenge.

Her Stirling County team-mate Eilidh Fleming joins Bogan in the tight-five, lining up at tight-head for tomorrow night’s clash.

Megan Hyland completes the trio of Glasgow forwards selected, the Garioch back-rower lining up at number eight after a series of dynamic performances in the Celtic Challenge.

Behind the scrum, Ceitidh Ainsworth is handed the keys to number 10 after being selected at fly-half, having started in each of Glasgow’s matches in their first season for Chris Laidlaw’s squad.

Lucy MacRae lines up at inside centre, the University of Edinburgh student having impressed with her distribution and kicking game throughout the Celtic Challenge.

Sky Phimister is selected on the wing, the flyer having allied a series of strong performances in Glasgow colours with her potent try-scoring record for Stirling County.

Three further Warriors await their opportunity after being selected amongst the replacements, with Chloe Brown – whose dynamism with ball in hand saw her catch the eye in the latter stages of the Celtic Challenge – named as the replacement loose-head prop.

Brown joins Karis Craig amongst the front-row cover, the latter having also impressed during her outings for the Warriors across the Celtic Challenge.

Rebekah Douglas completes the cohort of Warriors selected, the scrum-half having become the 36^th and final player to be used in Glasgow’s first season in the club’s final match against Gwalia Lightning back in February.

Scotland’s Six Nations Women’s Summer Series fixtures against Italy, France and Ireland will be available to watch via scottishrugby.org, with all remaining matches available on the Six Nations Rugby YouTube channels.

Scotland U20 team to take on Italy U20 in the Women’s Six Nations Summer Series, Thursday 4 July, kick off 8pm (UK time) – live on scottishrugby.org.

15. Lucia Scott (Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury)
14. Sky Phimister (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors)*
13. Nicole Flynn (University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh Rugby)*
12. Lucy MacRae (University of Edinburgh/Glasgow Warriors)*
11. Hannah Walker CO-CAPTAIN (University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh Rugby)*
10. Ceitidh Ainsworth (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors)*
9. Leia Brebner-Holden (Gloucester Hartpury/Edinburgh Rugby)

1. Poppy Fletcher CO-CAPTAIN (University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh Rugby)*
2. Aila Ronald (University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh Rugby)*
3. Eilidh Fleming (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors)*
4. Holland Bogan (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors)*
5. Natasha Logan (University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh Rugby)*
6. Merryn Gunderson (Corstorphine Cougars/Edinburgh Rugby)*
7. Lauryn Walter (Brunel University/Ealing Trailfinders)
8. Megan Hyland (Garioch/Glasgow Warriors)*

Replacements
16. Karis Craig (Watsonian FC/Glasgow Warriors)*
17. Chloe Brown (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors)*
18. Molly Poolman (Watsonian FC/Edinburgh Rugby)*
19. Talei Tawake (Watsonian FC)*
20. Gemma Bell (Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury/Edinburgh Rugby)
21. Rebekah Douglas (Corstorphine Cougars/Glasgow Warriors)*
22. Hannah Ramsay (Unattached/Edinburgh Rugby)*
23. Nicole Marlow (Cardiff Metropolitan University/Edinburgh Rugby)

*Regional Training Centre supported player