Scotland demands respect after the Rugby World Cup: Criticism of the SRU

The Bitter End of Jade Konkel and Scottish Women’s Rugby

A six-minute conversation marked the end of Jade Konkel’s 13-year career with the Scotland rugby team. Of the 32 players in the World Cup squad, only 15 had guaranteed contracts before the tournament, leaving the rest in an uncertain situation. Konkel was not among the lucky ones. In her meeting with the senior management 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,” she commented with a resigned smile. The team’s depth and individual circumstances were also mentioned. All of this, summarized in six minutes. Six minutes for 74 international matches.

“That’s what doesn’t sit right with me,” Konkel declared, shortly after England ended Scotland’s hopes in the World Cup.
Jade Konkel

Konkel, a firefighter by profession, was the first professional women’s rugby player hired by Scotland in 2016. That chapter came to an end in the match against England, where her team was defeated.

The Women’s Rugby World Cup for Scotland ended with a resounding defeat. For some of their players, it meant the end of their international careers. In the match, Konkel gave an exemplary performance, prioritizing the collective good over her personal well-being. Tears welled up after being substituted, but those moments of personal reflection were fleeting, suppressed by a greater cause and legacy. She used her last interviews as a Scotland player to send a message to the authorities.

“It’s been a difficult couple of months, with all of us receiving shocking news right before a World Cup, which isn’t the best preparation,” she said. “There have been so many little conversations, background noise, and the fact that we reached the quarter-finals is, I’m not going to lie, without the help of the SRU.”
Jade Konkel

Contractual disputes in Scotland have been a problem in their participation in the World Cup. Although captain Rachel Malcolm tried to divert attention from these issues, the situation was a constant burden for the players, who had to do job interviews during the tournament, planning for the uncertain post-World Cup future.

The origin of all this goes back to before the Six Nations. “I think the original proposal was to solve all this before the championship. But it kept being postponed,” said a source. “I just don’t think it was a priority for the Union.” Ultimata 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 exact number available this time is uncertain. The players wanted the whole team to be contracted, but only 15 received offers. Legends like Konkel were left in a professional limbo, while support staff were also affected.

“It was a total disaster,” a source said.
Source

Jade Konkel (left) retires from international rugby after being in contractual limbo. The long-term hope is that players from the national team will play for Scottish clubs. But the exact format 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. He was asked after the defeat against England if he had made peace with his departure. Easson, with teary eyes, mentioned the importance of investing in development pathways. “We must continue to invest because there is a great group of talent in Scotland and we must ensure that it continues to grow and develop.” This announcement added to the growing instability in Scotland’s preparation, where contract negotiations dragged on without resolution. In June, it was reported 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 told the press: “The preparation has not been ideal at all. It has been very detrimental. My goal as 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’s announcement, winger Rhona Lloyd, who is under contract, said: “There are many in the team who are going to this World Cup, more than half the team, who will not leave with contracts. That’s a lot of pressure for a player to perform, without knowing if you have a job in the coming months.” As a leading figure, Malcolm tried to put aside contract talks to focus on the tournament.

Scotland reached the quarter-finals of the Women’s Rugby World Cup for the first time since 2002. In the field, Scotland had a crucial match against Wales, which they brilliantly won (38-8). Then they beat Fiji (29-15) and fought against Canada, losing (40-19). Against England, a team they had lost to 27 times in a row, they were the underdogs. The match followed the script, with England winning (40-8). Easson spoke about how the team genuinely believed they could cause an upset, but their attacking game 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 the Scottish jersey, but also the hope of laying the groundwork for future generations to thrive. In his farewell press conference, Easson frequently mentioned the importance of investing in development pathways. “We must continue to invest because there is a great pool of talent in Scotland and we must ensure that it continues to grow and develop.”

There was a recurring theme: how the players and staff see this as a “crucial” point for the game. Malcolm emphasized this, having captained Scotland for the 53rd time, the most for any man or woman in the history of Scottish rugby. She spoke with a calm and wonderful authority, but also with evident frustration, asking the governing body to “simply 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 the players in the game.” A few minutes later, the players spoke to the press. Konkel’s tears were seen, Lloyd’s emotion at scoring the consolation try and, seeing the players, it felt like the end of a chapter. The players wanted their voices to be heard and to send a message.

“Support us and support women’s rugby,” said Rachel McLachlan. “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.” Evie Gallagher said the players want the SRU “to respect us as a group.”
Rachel McLachlan and Evie Gallagher

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 think words can never do justice.” For Konkel, his final message with the Scotland shirt was to seek change.