Rhona Lloyd: Whales, Scotland, and Great Britain
Music has played a big part throughout Rhona Lloyd’s Scotland career to date and now, after reaching the 50-cap milestone, she wants her country to keep making positive noises in the world of women’s rugby going forward.
The Scots marked the winger’s half-century in style by beating Italy 17-10 last Saturday in Parma to put them third in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations table with one round of fixtures to go.
Beat Ireland in Belfast this coming weekend and Scotland could finish third in the standings for the first time since 2005 and secure WXV 1 qualification and a spot at Rugby World Cup 2025.
A lot to focus on in the immediate future for Lloyd and co then, but this week she has taken time out to look back on her journey with Scotland that began as a 19-year-old back in 2016.
And whether it was naming the Scotland Sevens ‘band’ Rhona and the Whales while they were having an impromptu jam session while on tour in Hong Kong, buying a ukulele on that same trip or playing that ukulele in New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup in 2022 while sports scientist Fraser Menzies played the bagpipes as the squad sang Loch Lomond, music has never too far away from things.
Indeed, her teammates serenade her with ‘Rhona, Rhona, Rhona – their version of Ruby by the Kaiser Chiefs – a few days ago at her 50th cap presentation at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi with parents Lea and Robert watching on to keep the music theme going.
“I love rugby and I love music, it’s all a lot of fun,” Lloyd, now 27, said.
“We went to Hong Kong in 2019 as a Scotland Sevens squad to try and qualify for the World Series. There’s a band Noah and the Whale and we were playing chopsticks on our glasses, it was all a joke, but good fun.
“The next day we walked past a music shop, I got a ukelele and some of the girls got maracas. Then we had to name the ‘band’ and I pushed for Rhona and the Whales.
“I’m not sure if everybody was happy with it, but the name stuck!
“From that day we referred to the sevens squad often as Rhona and the Whales and sometimes had a laugh with music when we were away on trips.
“Then when we [the XVs squad at WXV 2] were in South Africa last year we weren’t flying back until the Monday after the last game.
“A bunch of people were going to get their cap numbers tattooed. It was me and a lot of the younger girls, so our team manager [Ellen Dickson] said to me ‘Rhona make sure nobody comes back with a silly tattoo’.
“Then we came back and she said ‘Oh it was just you!’ [because she had got a tattoo of a whale on her arm to mark Rhona and the Whales].
“Seriously though, culture to me is really important and that is something that I got from Scotland Sevens.
“We once came ninth in a World Series event for example when we had only met on the Tuesday and then competed from the Friday onwards. That is unheard of, but something that allowed us to do it and push though was our willingness to train hard and work hard for each other because of the bonds we had created.
“Culture has a big crossover with performance, so whether it is music or other things I just want everyone to enjoy being part of the group.
“I have so much fun playing rugby, it is a passion that has become my job, so enjoying the journey is a big thing for me.
“We have a social committee in the current Scotland Six Nations squad. Louise McMillan, Rachel McLachlan, Francesca McGhie and me we do extra things around camp to make sure that everyone is enjoying their team here and that everyone is connecting as teammates and friends off the pitch.
“We want this environment to be an enjoyable one and I think if you asked any player then they’d say that it is.
“That feeling off the pitch has helped us with our recent form on the pitch for sure.”
Lloyd, Scotland cap 192, first got introduced to rugby by international cap 136 Sarah Quick when the latter held a taster session at Tynecastle High School in Edinburgh.
From there, and with the promptings of teacher Bruce Aitchison and coach Eric Jones, Lloyd went on to play for Murrayfield Wanderers and was hooked.
Since then she has played for national age-grade teams, Edinburgh University, Loughborough Lightning, Les Lionnes du Stade Bordelais, the national sevens and XVs team and GB Sevens.
She is currently dual-contracted to Scottish Rugby and GB Sevens – she has hopes of making the Paris Olympics in a few months with the latter – and said: “Women’s rugby has moved on so far.
“My first Scotland cap was against England in 2016 [a 32-0 loss] and I got capped the same day as Lisa Thomson. We were so young and we were still playing for the under-20s. At that time the senior squad didn’t have a lot of depth, so you were very quickly put into it.
“The game was at Broadwood [in Cumbernauld], I would guestimate there was a maximum of 300 people there, we were the curtain-raiser for the Scotland under-20 men and I couldn’t tell you if there was a live stream – the way that the game has changed from then to now is absolutely massive.
“It was a huge honour to play for Scotland then and it’s still a huge honour now.
“I just feel so privileged that I’ve played during this period when women’s rugby has changed so much. We’ve seen professionalisation at the international level and for younger girls that are coming through now, it just looks so different for them.
“It does feel like women’s sport is exploding and I feel really lucky to be competing at this time.
“And with Scotland, things are so exciting. We have been happy with the recent wins over Wales and Italy, but our standards for ourselves are so much higher than they used to be and we know we can still play better which says a lot about where the squad is at right now.
“We’re in a very good place and it’s no secret that we want to keep pushing on to see how far we can get Scotland in the world rankings [they are now at a record high of number six].
“We want to be competing on the world stage and we are thinking about that World Cup next year.
“It’s been an incredible journey for me so far and I am excited by the future.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Sorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
7 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
3 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
3 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
3 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
2 Go to commentsNice piece of writing. And yes the Sharks pulled a rabbit from the hat and were a little lucky with that penalty try that wasn’t given… however the Sharks (with their resources) should be way more consistent and should be putting teams like Claremont away for breakfast. I expect more from them and hope they kick on now.
8 Go to commentsJust what the Sharks needed to get things going in the right direction Defence on the outside really creates havoc for the whole team and needs to be addressed.
8 Go to commentsWell done guys both teams will be ready to play knockout rugby.
1 Go to comments