Rachel Malcolm will make her 50th Scotland appearance when she leads the side out in South Africa against Italy this weekend.
The long-serving Loughborough Lightning captain moves to a half century at the DHL Stadium on Saturday 28 September (kick-off: 2pm) as Scotland launch the defence of the WXV 2 title they won last year.
Malcolm, 33, made her senior international debut in 2016 against Spain – just a year after taking up the sport having also represented Scotland in hockey at U17, U18 and U21 level. She first captained Scotland in 2017, the same year she became a Loughborough Lightning ‘original’ when she played in their first top-flight match against Worcester Warriors.
There’s three more Lightning players in the starting line-up as Helen Nelson moves to 63 caps from fly-half, Christine Belisle packs down at tighthead alongside fellow prop Anne Young, who made her first senior international start in the recent victory over Fiji.
A fifth Lightning player, Elis Martin, is among the replacements.
SCOTLAND TEAM TO FACE ITALY
DHL Stadium, South Africa
Saturday 28 September (kick-off: 2pm UK time)
Available to watch via BBC iPlayer and RugbyPass.tv
15. Chloe Rollie – Ealing Trailfinders (67)
14. Coreen Grant – Saracens (12)
13. Emma Orr – Bristol Bears (21)
12. Meryl Smith - Bristol Bears (19)
11. Francesca McGhie - Leicester Tigers (14)
10. Helen Nelson – Loughborough Lightning (62)
9. Caity Mattinson – Ealing Trailfinders (24)
1. Anne Young – Loughborough Lightning (12)
2. Lana Skeldon – Bristol Bears (71)
3. Christine Belisle – Loughbrough Lightning (37)
4. Fi McIntosh – Saracens (3)
5. Sarah Bonar – Harlequins (39)
6. Rachel Malcolm – captain – Loughborough Lightning (49)
7. Rachel McLachlan – Montpellier (44)
8. Evie Gallagher – Bristol Bears (29)
Replacements
16. Elis Martin – Loughborough Lightning (12)
17. Lisa Cockburn – Gloucester-Hartpury (31)
18. Elliann Clarke – Bristol Bears (13)
19. Louise McMillan – Saracens (54)
20. Alex Stewart – Corstorphine Cougars (6)
21. Leia Brebner-Holden – Gloucester-Hartpury/Cheltenham Tigers (2)
22. Lisa Thomson – Ealing Trailfinders (61)
23. Lucia Scott – Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury (2)
