Five changes for Scotland Women as Demi Swann makes first start

Scotland Women head coach Sione Fukofuka has made five changes for his side’s fixture against Italy in the third round of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, as Scotland chase a second win in this year’s championship.

Exeter’s Demi Swann makes a first Test start after appearances off the bench against Wales and England, while there are two more new starters in the pack with Eva Donaldson and Rachel McLachlan coming into the back row to combine with captain Rachel Malcolm.

Malcolm needed treatment during the England game for a knee injury but is fit to start in Parma, winning her 64th cap.

The two other changes come in the backs, with Lucia Scott coming in at outside centre while Francesca McGhie makes her first start of the championship. McGhie, who scored six tries for Scotland at last year’s Rugby World Cup, makes her first appearance of the Six Nations after missing the win over Wales with a shoulder injury before returning off the bench against England.

Fukofuka unpacked where he felt Scotland had struggled against England following last Saturday’s heavy 84-7 defeat in front of a bumper 30,000 crowd at Murrayfield.

“A bit around our field position and decision-making. The set piece worked well sometimes and then it didn’t. I want to see accuracy, we are a good team, a clinical team and accurate but under pressure today we weren’t and England were able to expose that.”

Fukofuka has notably opted for a six-two bench split, with Saracens’ Louise McMillan coming into the matchday squad as an extra forward.

Scotland squad v Italy

15. Chloe Rollie
14. Francesca McGhie
13. Lucia Scott
12. Meryl Smith
11. Shona Campbell
10. Helen Nelson
9. Leia Brebner-Holden
1. Demi Swann
2. Lana Skeldon
3. Elliann Clarke
4. Emma Wassell
5. Hollie Cunningham
6. Eva Donaldson
7. Rachel McLachlan
8. Rachel Malcolm (c)

Replacements
16. Elis Martin
17. Leah Bartlett
18. Molly Poolman
19. Holland Bogan
20. Louise McMillan
21. Alex Stewart
22. Rianna Darroch
23. Rachel Phillips