Scotland Demands Respect After Elimination in Women’s Rugby World Cup

Jade Konkel retires from the Scottish national team after a six-minute conversation

A conversation of just six minutes marked the end of Jade Konkel’s career with the Scottish rugby team, which lasted 13 years. Of the 32 players called up for the World Cup, only 15 had contracts before the start of the tournament, leaving the rest in an uncertain situation. Konkel was not among the 15. In her conversation with representatives of the Scottish Rugby Union, Konkel was informed that the decision not to renew her contract was based on her performance. “That was interesting, as I was the player of the season at Harlequins,” Konkel commented with a smile. Other reasons mentioned were the depth of the team and individual circumstances. That was the conclusion, summarized in six minutes, after 74 international matches.

“That’s what doesn’t fit for me,” she said, about an hour after England ended Scotland’s hopes in the World Cup.

Jade Konkel

Konkel, who is also a firefighter, was the first professional women’s rugby player from Scotland, in 2016. The match against England, in which Scotland lost, marked the end of that chapter. Konkel, aware of her situation, decided to retire from international rugby after the World Cup, taking control of her own destiny and avoiding being excluded from future call-ups.

Scotland’s participation in the Women’s Rugby World Cup came to an end with a defeat. For some of their players, this meant the end of their international careers.In the match against England, Konkel offered a characteristic performance, prioritizing the good of the team above her own. Tears welled up after her substitution, but those moments of personal reflection and the feeling of sporting loss were momentary, suppressed by a greater cause and legacy. In her last interviews as a Scotland player, she sent a message to the authorities.

It’s been a difficult couple of months with everything that’s fallen on us just before the World Cup, which isn’t the best preparation. There have been many small conversations, background noise, and the fact that we’ve reached the quarter-finals is, I’m not going to lie, without any help from the SRU.

Jade Konkel

Contractual disputes in Scotland were a problem at the World Cup. The captain, Rachel Malcolm, tried to focus on the game, but the situation was a constant burden for the players, who even had job interviews during the tournament, given the uncertainty of what the future held for them after the World Cup. According to a source, the initial plan was to resolve the contracts before the Six Nations, but it was postponed. Ultimatum were issued, but an agreement was finally reached to extend the contracts until the end of the World Cup. In 2022, 28 contracts were awarded. The players wanted the entire squad to have a contract, but only 15 achieved it before the World Cup. Legends like Konkel were left in a professional limbo, and the support staff was also affected.

“It was a complete disaster,” said a source.

Anonymous source

Jade Konkel (left) retires from international rugby after being in contractual limbo.The long-term hope is that the national team players will play in Scottish clubs, but it is not yet defined. “There are players who live in England who are told they must move if they want a contract, but they have part-time jobs there and have mortgages and the rest… I just don’t think this was part of the consideration when this was thought about,” said a source. Bryan Easson, coach of the women’s team since 2020, announced in July that he would leave the position after the World Cup. After the defeat against England, he was asked if he had accepted to leave his post, but his tearful eyes revealed his sadness. During his tenure, he led the team to its best historical ranking, fifth place. “The only thing I will do in the next two or three weeks before finishing is to keep fighting and make sure they get what they need,” he said. This announcement added to the growing instability in Scotland’s preparation, with contract negotiations unresolved. In June, a news report was published stating that only 15 of the 38 players in the training camp had received contract offers, and the players were suffering “with their mental and emotional health following the possible loss of their contracts”.

In mid-July, Malcolm stated: “It hasn’t been an ideal preparation. It’s been very damaging. My principle as a captain is to make my players feel like superwomen, to feel valued and that they belong, and the processes that have been carried out behind the scenes have done almost the opposite of those three things.”

In the team announcement, winger Rhona Lloyd, who does have a contract, said: “There are many players on the team going to this World Cup, more than half the team, who will not have contracts. That puts a lot of pressure on a player to perform, without knowing if they have a job in the following months.” As a key figure, Malcolm tried to put aside the issue of contracts to focus on the tournament.

Scotland reached the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.In the field, Scotland won their first match against Wales (38-8). Then they beat Fiji (29-15) and made a valiant effort against Canada, losing 40-19. Against England, a team they had lost to 27 times in a row, they were the clear underdogs. The match was played and England won 40-8. After the match, Easson spoke about how the team believed they could cause an upset, but their set-piece play was unstable and their foundations crumbled. It was a match that marked the end of an era, with some players playing their last match in a Scotland shirt, but also with the hope of laying the foundations for future generations. In his farewell press conference, Easson mentioned the importance of investing in development pathways. “We must continue to invest because there is a real talent pool in Scotland and we have to make sure that continues to grow and drive it.”

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A recurring theme was how the players and staff see this moment as a “crucial” point for the game. Malcolm, who captained Scotland for the 53rd time, spoke with authority, but also with frustration, asking the governing body to “listen” to the players. “There is a risk of losing players and potentially having lost players that we don’t want at all,” she said. “We want to keep players in the game.” A few minutes later, the players spoke to the press. Konkel’s tears were seen, Lloyd’s emotion after scoring a try, and it was clear that it was the end of a chapter. The players wanted their voices to be heard and to send a message.

Just support us and support women’s rugby. That’s all we ask. We want to be the best in the world, we want to win these difficult matches, and for that, we need support.

Rachel McLachlan

Evie Gallagher said the players want the SRU “to respect us as a group”. And so we come to Konkel. Malcolm said: “She embodies what it means to play for Scotland and play with a thistle on your chest. I don’t think words can do it justice.”

For Konkel, his final message was to seek change.

Respect us. Know that this is a program to which we dedicate our lives.

Jade Konkel