Injuries Force Late Changes To Starting Backs

Scotland Women have made two late changes to their starting back division for Sunday’s 6 Nations match v France at Arras on Sunday (kick-off 3pm).Suzi Newton (Team Northumbria) and Veronica Fitzpatrick (Royal High Corstorphine) have both been forced to withdraw form the match having failed to recover from injuries picked up in last week’s 10-31 defeat to Wales on Sunday (8 February).Victoria Blakebrough joins the starting line-up as a straight swap for Fitzpatrick on the wing while fly-half Erin Kerr (Richmond) moves to inside-centre to accommodate Louise Dalgleish (Royal High Corstorphine) who comes in for Suzi Newton at 10.  Scotland Women have made two late changes to their starting back division for Sunday’s 6 Nations match v France at Arras on Sunday (kick-off 3pm).Suzi Newton (Team Northumbria) and Veronica Fitzpatrick (Royal High Corstorphine) have both been forced to withdraw form the match having failed to recover from injuries picked up in last week’s 10-31 defeat to Wales on Sunday (8 February).Victoria Blakebrough joins the starting line-up as a straight swap for Fitzpatrick on the wing while fly-half Erin Kerr (Richmond) moves to inside-centre to accommodate Louise Dalgleish (Royal High Corstorphine) who comes in for Suzi Newton at 10.Both the Scotland Women and Scotland Women National Development squads will be playing in a ground-breaking double-header against France and France A.Head coach Jamie Dempsey has made minor changes to the side that lost 10-31 to Wales on Sunday. Laura Steven comes in at outside-centre with Lucy Millard moving to full-back at the expense of Lynsey Douglas who starts on the bench. Dempsey also opts to shuffle the back-row with captain Lynne Reid switching to blind-side flanker to accommodate Ruth Slaven instead of Keri Holdsworth.The changes mean that Tanya Griffiths will start on the bench in place of the promoted Steven.Dempsey said: “We’re obviously very disappointed with Sunday’s result – three errors in defence cost us dearly.”We’re still a developing side but I thought we showed a lot of positive signs. I thought our front row was outstanding. We dominated territory and possession in the second half and applied more pressure.””Going to France is a massive challenge- we’re going to have to work very hard defensively.”  The Scotland Women development squad will play their first international in history – and their first ever away game –  against France A and will act as a curtain raiser for the national squad’s 6 Nations encounter v France two hours later.Scotland Women Development head coach, Jules Marciano, said: “It’s very exciting and a great opportunity for the players and the management team to put into practice the hard work we’ve done over the last six months.”It’ll be a great test for the players to experience playing for their country and to prepare them for making the step up to the full international squad.”Scotland women team (sponsor Martin Currie) to face France at Arras on Sunday 15 February (kick-off 3pm)15 Lucy Millard (Murrayfield Wanderers)14 Cara D’Silva (Royal High Corstorphine)13 Laura Steven (Murrayfield Wanderers)12 Erin Kerr (Richmond)11 Victoria Blakebrough (Richmond)10 Louise Dalgliesh (Royal High Corstorphine)9 Sarah Gill (Murrayfield Wanderers)1 Heather Lockhart (Hillhead Jordanhill)2 Sarah-Louise Walker (Watsonians)3 Beth Dickens (Murrayfield Wanderers)4 Louise Moffat (Kirkcaldy)5 Lindsay Wheeler (Team Northumbria)6 Lynne Reid CAPTAIN (Royal High Corstorphine)7 Ruth Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers)8 Susie Brown (Hillhead / Jordanhill)Replacements16 Nikki McLeod (Edinburgh University)17 Ellen Beattie (Murrayfield Wanderers)18 Joy Lyth (Lismore)19 Keri Holdsworth (Watsonians)20 Natalya Macholla (Stirling County)21 Tanya Griffith (Royal High Corstorphine)22 Katy Green Scotland women development team (sponsor Martin Currie) to face France A at Arras on Sunday 15 February (kick-off 1pm).15 Ciara Baxter (Dundee University)14 Leah Cuthbertson (Watsonians)13 Annabel Sergeant (Dundee University)12 Hazel Bielinski (Hillhead Jordanhill)11 Celia Hawthorn (Edinburgh University)10 Julie Sanaghan (Kirkcaldy)9 Hayley Legg (Richmond)1 Rosalind Murphy (Edinburgh University)2 Sarah Quick (Murrayfield Wanderers)3 Lindsey Smith CAPTAIN (Hillhead Jordanhill)4 Helen Munro (Richmond)5 Katie Barker (Dundee University)6 Joan Hutchison7 Katie Appleby (Lismore)8 Louise Gray (Henley Hawks)Substitutes16 Alison MacDonald (Royal High Corstorphine)17 Fiona Reardon (Hillhead Jordanhill)18 Heather Law (Murrayfield Wanderers)19 Michelle Ovens (Murrayfield Wanderers)20 Laura Hanson21 Jenny Miller (Murrayfield Wanderers)22 Anna Flemming• Admission is free to all Scotland’s age-grade, A, and Women’s 6 Nations home matches. No tickets or vouchers are required.SCOTLAND WOMEN 6 NATIONS MATCH SCHEDULEFrance v Scotland, Sunday 15 February, Arras, kick-off 3pmScotland v Italy, Saturday 28 February, Meggetland, kick-off 12noon Scotland v Ireland, Friday 13 March, Meggetland, kick-off 7.30pm  England v Scotland, Saturday 21 March, Esher RFC SW London, 1.30pm