Women building on positives

A first win at this level against Portugal was balanced by two defeats for Scotland Women 7s on day one of competition in Kazan, Russia at the Rugby Europe Grand Prix Women’s 7s event today and they anticipate tomorrow’s opener against Ukraine (k/o 9.28am BST).Head coach Scott Forrest said: It was disappointing today not to get into the top eight however it was positive to win our first game, at this level, against Portugal.Our fitness levels looked good as we kept ball and scored at the end of games.Tomorrow we meet Ukraine – they’ve defeated us three times in three years but now we have an opportunity to beat them by building on the positives from today.Our aim tomorrow will be to finish 9th by winning both our games.Opening the tournament against the hosts, the Scottish side – in their first major competition of their short 2015/16 season – came up against a powerful Russian outfit, seeded top in the event. Leading 20-0 at half time, the Russians completed the rout with seven tries, a hatrick from Khamidova, to underline the level of competition facing the Scots in their return to the top level of the competition.The second match, against Portugal, proved more fruitful as the Scots hit their stride.The Portuguese opened the scoring with an unconverted try after 6 minutes then, less than a minute later, Sarah Dixon found space to fly down the wing and touch down, the score converted by Sarah Law – 7-5 at half time. Portugal scored again with two minutes to go, adding the extras. Turnover ball in the last minute saw Jenny Maxwell break, see the gap and cross by the posts, the scored converted by Lisa Martin to take the points and the win, 14-12.Into the last pool game and Scotland kept the Italian opposition at bay for most of the opening half then, just before hlf time, a thumping tackle from Johnston saw turnover ball which went out wide to Dixon, to fly up the wing and touch down, the score converted by Law. Then, just before half time, an unfortunate yellow card for Lisa Ritchie at the breakdown gave the Italians man advantage to score. The momentum of that try gave the opposition the impetus to repeat the score, early in the second half with Ritchie still off the park, the score converted. Then, in the last minute, they touched down again to make it 17-7 against us at full time.Rugby Europe Grand Prix Leg 1 – Kazan (starting 7)1      Jade Konkel                                 Hillhead Jordanhill            (Ru)2      Karen Dunbar                               RHC Cougars                  (Ru) (Po) (It)3      Eilidh Sinclair                               Murrayfield Wanderers            (Po)4      Lisa Ritchie                                   Carlisle                                            (It)5      Megan Gaffney                             Hillhead Jordanhill           (Ru) (Po) (It)6      Lisa Martin                                    Murrayfield Wanderers7      Sarah Dixon                                  Stirling County                 (Ru) (Po) (It)8      Jenny Maxwell                              Leeds Met/Lichfield         (Ru) (Po) (It)9      Sarah Law                                    Murrayfield Wanderers    (Ru) (Po) (It)10    Steph Johnston                            Worcester                        (Ru) (Po) (It)11    Fionidi Parker                               Northumbria University12    Caitlin Harvey                               Caithness/RHC CougarsScotland Women 7s? – Grand Prix eventsRugby Europe Women’s 7s Grand Prix Series 1, 13-14 June, Kazan (Russia) Rugby Europe Women’s 7s Grand Prix Series 2, 20-21 June, Brive (France)