Scotland: Women's Rugby Demands Respect After World Cup Elimination

The End of an Era for Scottish Women’s Rugby: Jade Konkel and the Legacy of a Sport in Crisis

A six-minute conversation marked the end of Jade Konkel’s 13-year career with Scotland. Of the 32 players on the World Cup team, only 15 had contracts before the tournament. The rest lived in uncertainty. Konkel was not among the 15. In her meeting with 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 melancholic smile. The depth of the team and individual circumstances were also mentioned as reasons. This was all resolved in six minutes. Six minutes for 74 international matches.

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

Konkel, a firefighter by profession, was the first female rugby player contracted by Scotland in 2016. That chapter came to an end at Ashton Gate. Announcing her retirement from international rugby after the World Cup, Konkel took control of her farewell, choosing her own ending instead of being one of the many who see their international careers cut short.

Jugadoras de Escocia en el Mundial de Rugby Femenino

The Scotland Women’s Rugby World Cup ended in defeat. For some players, it marked the end of their international careers. Konkel, true to her style, prioritized the collective good. Her tears after being substituted were momentary, suppressed by the greater cause and the legacy. In her last interviews, she sent a message to the authorities.

“It’s been a difficult couple of months with all the bombs that were thrown at us just before the World Cup, which isn’t the best preparation,” she stated. “There have been a lot of 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

Scotland’s contractual disputes were a problem in their World Cup campaign. Although captain Rachel Malcolm tried to focus on the game, it was a constant burden for the players. Some had job interviews during the tournament, planning for the uncertainty of the future.

The origin of all this goes back to before the Six Nations. “I think the original proposal was to sort this out before the championship. But it kept getting postponed,” said a source. “I just don’t think it was a priority for the Union.” Ultimatum were issued, but it was finally agreed 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 to have the whole team contracted. But before the World Cup, only 15 received offers. Legends like Konkel were left in limbo, and the support staff was also affected.

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

Jade Konkel (left) has retired 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 and are told they must move if they want a contract, but they have part-time jobs and mortgages… I just don’t think this has been taken into account when planning it,” said a source. Bryan Easson, coach of the women’s team since 2020, announced his departure after the World Cup. With tears in his eyes, he knew his cycle was over. During his tenure, he led the team to its best historical ranking (fifth place). “The only thing I will do in the coming weeks before finishing is to keep fighting and make sure they get what they need,” he said. This announcement added to the instability in Scotland’s preparation, where contract discussions dragged on without resolution. In June, it was reported that only 15 of the 38 players in the training camp had received contract offers, affecting their mental and emotional health. In mid-July, Malcolm stated: “It hasn’t been an ideal preparation. It’s been very disruptive. My goal as captain is to make my players feel like superwomen, valued and that they belong; and the processes that have occurred in the background have done almost the opposite.” In the team’s announcement, Rhona Lloyd, who does have a contract, said: “Many players are going to this World Cup without a contract. That’s a lot of pressure to perform, without knowing if you have a job in the coming months.” Malcolm tried to put aside the contract talks to focus on the tournament.

Escocia llegó a cuartos de final del Mundial de Rugby Femenino por primera vez desde 2002

In the field, Scotland had a crucial match against Wales, winning 38-8. Then they beat Fiji 29-15 and fought against Canada, losing 40-19. Against England, a team they had lost to 27 consecutive times, they were the underdogs. The match unfolded according to the script, with England winning 40-8. Easson spoke about how the team believed in the possibility of causing an upset, but their attacking game was unstable. It was a match that marked the end of an era, but also the hope of laying the foundations for future generations. In his farewell conference, Easson mentioned the importance of investing in development. “We must continue to invest because there is great talent in Scotland and we must ensure that it continues to grow.”

There was a recurring theme: how the players and staff see this as a “crucial” point for the sport. 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 quiet authority, but also with frustration, asking the governing body to “listen” to the players. “There is a risk of losing players we don’t want to lose,” she said. “We want the players to stay in the game.” Afterwards, the players spoke to the press. Konkel’s tears were seen, Lloyd’s emotion. It was clear that it was the end of a chapter. But the players wanted their voices to be heard and send a message.

“Just support us and support women’s rugby,” said Rachel McLachlan. “That’s all we’re asking. We want to be the best in the world, we want to win these tough 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 arrive at Konkel. Malcolm said: “She embodies what it means to play for Scotland.” For Konkel, his final message was to seek change.