Emma Wassell’s Absence and Scotland’s Preparations for Fiji Clash Mark Emotional Vodafone Series Encounter

Scotland’s rugby team heads into Saturday’s Vodafone Series Test against Fiji at Hive Stadium with heavy hearts as second-row Emma Wassell continues to fight a personal battle off the field. Diagnosed with a chest tumour and set to undergo surgery, Wassell's absence looms large over the squad as they prepare for their final warm-up match before defending their WXV2 title in South Africa.

Scotland head coach Bryan Easson has described Wassell as the “epitome of a warrior,” highlighting the 28-year-old's resilience amid a challenging year that also saw her lose her mother. Though sidelined for the upcoming games, Wassell remains an integral part of the squad, continuing to inspire her teammates with her courage.

“We always want her to be part of the group, no matter what she's going through,” said Easson. “She’s been through so much this year, and she embodies the spirit of our team. Our motto, ‘fight for your family,’ couldn’t be more relevant right now.”

Wassell’s diagnosis has added an emotional weight to what was already set to be a critical fixture, as Scotland faces Fiji for the first time. Easson has made nine changes to the squad that convincingly defeated Wales last weekend. Meryl Smith moves from inside centre to fly-half, replacing regular starter and kicker Helen Nelson, who will begin on the bench. Lisa Thomson, who recently returned from her second Olympic campaign with Great Britain's sevens team, takes over from Smith at inside centre.

In the forward pack, Anne Young and Elliann Clarke will make their first starts for Scotland at loosehead and tighthead prop, respectively, joining hooker Lana Skeldon. Captain Rachel Malcolm will once again lead the side, with Jade Konkel and Rachel McLachlan completing an experienced back row.

Easson anticipates a challenging match against a physical Fijian side, known for their explosive offloading game and powerful front five. “It’ll be an entertaining game – it’s Fiji. Their set-piece is big, but they’ll offload and come at us. We’ve prepared accordingly, but we know it’s going to be a hard-fought contest,” said Easson.

The match will be Scotland’s last before they head to South Africa to defend their WXV2 title, and Easson will be looking for his players to make their mark ahead of the tournament. With the emotional backdrop of Wassell’s ongoing battle, the team will no doubt be looking to channel their efforts in her honour.

Scotland Squad to Face Fiji:

Starting XV: Chloe Rollie; Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Lisa Thomson, Coreen Grant; Meryl Smith, Caity Mattinson; Anne Young, Lana Skeldon, Elliann Clarke, Louise McMillan, Sarah Bonar, Rachel Malcolm (capt), Rachel McLachlan, Jade Konkel.

Replacements: Elis Martin, Lisa Cockburn, Christine Belisle, Eva Donaldson, Evie Gallagher, Leia Brebner-Holden, Helen Nelson, Lucia Scott.