Scots’ Success Would Make Mary’S Mother’S Day

As Scotland Women prepare to take on Italy this afternoon (Rovato Stadium, Brescia, kick-off 2.30pm local), one member of the squad is missing out on the choccies and breakfast in bed as she spends mother’s day away from her twenty-one-month old daughter.Flanker Mary Lafaiki (pictured, far right) capped five times before giving birth to Mailili, returned to the squad earlier this year. She said: Obviously I’m missing her to bits but her dad and our friends are great, I have a good support group and she’s a bit too little to realise what today is, I guess. A win would be great as everyone in the squad works so hard, puts in so much effort and would be reward for all the gains the squad has made.A calf injury has kept Mary out of the championship to date, and this is due to be her first appearance for Scotland since her last cap, against Italy away four years ago.    She passed the fitness test which enabled her return for this last game in the championship last Tuesday.  She said: It was my birthday, too, that day so it was a great present! It’s fantastic to be back in the squad as I’d thought my whole Six Nations would be washout. I had been hoping to get back for the game against ireland but the calf just wasn’t right.  I have been keeping in regular contact with the girls, emailing them before the other games while keeping up my fitness to make sure it was a smooth as possibe to rejoin the squad after they’ve been together so long for this championship. Mary, one of five children of an Arbroath-born mum and a Niuean dad, returned to training six months after her daughter’s birth, attended the regional trials in September 2011 and worked her way back into the squad through the regional programme. Starting on the bench today, this is potentially her sixth capand, in addition toher family and friends Mary can be assured of additional support from her work colleagues – she’s employed in the technical team with world-renowned lingerie firm, Ultimo! Scotland Women v Italy Women on Sunday 18 March at Rovato Stadium, Brescia, kick-off 2.30pm (local)/ 1.30pm GMT15 Stephanie Johnston (RHC Cougars)14 Katy Green (Murrayfield Wanderers)13 Laura Steven (Murrayfield Wanderers)12 Lisa Martin (Murrayfield Wanderers)11 Sarah Dixon (Stirling County)10 Tanya Griffith (RHC Cougars)9 Louise Dalgliesh (RHC Cougars)1 Tracy Balmer (Worcester)2 Sarah Quick (Murrayfield Wanderers)3 Beth Dickens (Murrayfield Wanderers)4 Anna Swan (RHC Cougars)5 Jemma Forsyth (Hillhead/Jordanhill)6 Lindsay Wheeler (Richmond)7 Tess Forsberg (Richmond)8 Susie Brown (Richmond) (captain)Substitutes16 Alison Macdonald (RHC Cougars)17 Heather Lockhart (Hillhead/Jordanhill)18 Katherine Muir (Richmond)19 Ruth Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers)20 Mary Lafaiki (Cartha QP)21 Lisa Ritchie (Carlisle)22 Lauren Harris (Melrose)Scotland Women’s RBS 6 Nations fixtures Sunday 5 February, Scotland 0 – 47 EnglandSunday 12 February, Wales 20 – 0 Scotland, Cross Keys RFCSaturday 25 February, Scotland 0 – 23 France, Stirling County RFCFriday 9 March, Ireland 20 – 0 Scotland, Ashbourne RFCSunday 18 March, Italy v Scotland, Rovato Stadium, Brescia, kick-off 2.30pm (local)