Keeping The Cameras Steady On World Cup Build-Up

With only two weeks to go before Scotland Women head south to participate in the Rugby World Cup, the build-up continues and training intensifies. This weekend’s camp at Murrayfield Stadium saw national team coach, Graham Steadman, come along to support, advise and share his expertise with the players and coaches. Steadman said: I last saw the team in action before the Six Nations and they’ve improved massively since then. The main difference is that their skill set has increased dramatically. Also, they were too compact before – now they’re playing wide and putting the ball about. And a word or two of advice for their World Cup venture? They need to play for each other, that’s the key. The team’s World Cup build-up this weekend was also the focus for a BBC ALBA film crew who have been following the squad, in particular North Uist-born back row, Alison Macdonald. As with the rest of her team mates, Alison has a full time job in addition to her commitments as a Scotland international rugby player and the film crew has also been following her off the pitch as she goes to work as a police officer. The finished docu-feature is due to be shown on BBC ALBA in September, in conjunction with the broadcaster’s coverage of Scotland’s pro team Magners League games. Scotland Women take on France, Canada and Sweden in Pool C at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Surrey, which runs from 16 August to 5 September. Scotland’s second match, against France on 24 August, will be shown live on SKY Sports and streamed live on the IRB web site.   Scotland Women Rugby World Cup squad Alison Macdonald (RHC Cougars) Beth Dickens (Murrayfield Wanderers) Celia Hawthorn (Edinburgh University) Donna Kennedy (Worcester) Erin Kerr (London Wasps) Gillian McCord (RHC Cougars) Heather Lockhart (Hillhead Jordanhill) Katy Green (Murrayfield Wanderers) Keri Holdsworth (Watsonians) Lindsay Wheeler (Darlington Mowden Sharks) Louise Dalgliesh (RHC Cougars) Louise Moffat (Murrayfield Wanderers) Lucy Millard (Team Northumbria) Lynne Reid (RHC Cougars) Lynsey Douglas (London Wasps) Nicola Halfpenny (Melrose) Rosalind Murphy (Edinburgh University) Ruth Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers) Sarah Gill (Murrayfield Wanderers) Sarah-Louise Walker (Watsonians) Stephanie Johnston (Hillhead Jordanhill) Susannah Brown (Richmond) Suzi Newton (Team Northumbria) Tess Forsberg (Murrayfield Wanderers) Tanya Griffith (RHC Cougars) Veronica Fitzpatrick (RHC Cougars) SCOTLAND WOMEN RUGBY WORLD CUP SCHEDULE Pool C France Canada Scotland Sweden Friday 20 August Canada v Scotland (kick-off: 12noon) Tuesday 24 August France v Scotland (kick-off: 2pm) Live on SKY Sports and the IRB web siteSaturday 28 August Scotland v Sweden (kick-off: 12noon) All Pool games will be played at Surrey Sports Park. Rugby fans who buy tickets for the WRWC 2010 will automatically be put onto a ticketing information list for the Rugby World Cup in 2015 to be hosted in England.  For more information on tickets, please go to: www.rwcwomens.com