Elis ready for second bite at Rugby World Cup cherry

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - JULY 28: Elis Martin during a Scottish Women's Rugby World Cup headshot session at the Marriot Hotel, on July 28, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Speaking on her call-up to the 32-player selection, she said: “I never expect it, because we’ve so much talent coming through and so many versatile players. Getting that email to say I was in, just to take a deep breath and see it written down, was really nice.

“Last time [in 2022, when Elis was a late replacement to the squad], it was a last-minute call-up but this time, I sat for 10 minutes and took a moment. I then texted my family group chat and spoke to a couple of the girls, but I’m really thankful to have taken the time to step outside the bubble, be in my own company and realise something I’ve dreamed of.

Calling the shots: A line-out exercise during a 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations week at Oriam, Edinburgh

“This time around, I’m a lot more selectable and I’m three years older with a lot more international experience,” the 26-year-old added.

Martin did not get onto the pitch at the last Rugby World Cup, but the experience of being there, of being part of a wider national team community, was invaluable, as she added: “I think where I was in my career, I wasn’t expecting to play. I am team-first, whether I’m selected or not, being someone who does things for the greater good of the squad.

“So just being there and training well so the team played well, it went a long way to solidifying a lot of bonds that we now have. And at 26, I hope I have a few years left as a member of this team.”

Elis is vying with Lana Skeldon and Molly Wright for the number 2 shirt in England, and whilst competition is understandably fierce between them all, the respect they have for one another is the most important aspect.

“Whenever we’ve had selections, we say congrats to one another. There’s never been a moment of resentment because we’re aware that we are competing against each other and we have to prep each other for the period of the game we’ll be playing.

“We’ve built a bit of a team together because being in the front row is a bit different from the rest of the team! I really value the role I bring off the bench, that it’s a skill to finish the game and things can be won or lost form the bench.”

Pure passion: Elis celebrates Leah Bartlett scoring at try against Wales in the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Elis certainly brought her skillset to the fore last weekend coming off the bench against Wales in Scotland’s first match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup; expert lineout throwing and hard carries, she stamped her mark on the world stage with her second-half performance.

With 23 caps to her name, Elis knows what it takes to play for Scotland at the highest level and, crucially, what it means to her and others: “To represent Scotland is everything to me. Everything about being Scottish runs in our veins and be be able to pull on a jersey that has the thistle on it; I can’t describe the pride and honour that brings.

“To be able to do that as a woman I think brings another level to that. As Scottish people, we are naturally underdogs. As women, we’re underdogs, so as a Scottish woman it’s two sides of the same coin.

“That pride and emotion runs really deep, and it means everything.”

You can be pretty sure that when Elis is called upon to enter the fray, she will embrace every opportunity not only for herself, but for the thousands watching live across the Scottish diaspora.