'Treatment of Scotland players wasn't good enough'

Rachel Malcolm has been Scotland captain since 2019 [Getty Images] Captain Rachel Malcolm says it was a "hard read" when BBC Sport laid out the struggles of some of her Scotland players at last year's Women's Rugby World Cup. The 34-year-old said she wants the squad to be "happy and supported". In February, some Scotland players told BBC Sport of an emotionally damaging World Cup tournament because Scottish Rugby's handling of player contracts left them with poor mental health.

Scotland reached the last eight, the women's team's best performance at a World Cup in 23 years. But off the field some players were struggling with uncertainty over their professional futures, and one said she suffered a breakdown as a result. "I think it ultimately wasn't good enough in terms of how the players were treated and team-mates were feeling," said Malcolm at the launch of the 2026 Women's Six Nations.

"As a player group we were very together in that whole process and we were very aware of different people's situations and different people's responses to what happened. "I think it's obviously brave of those girls to speak out but I think the most important thing is that moving forward change needs to happen for that process to be better - and that is what has happened. "The Scottish Rugby Union is now working with us and making sure those processes are better so the same doesn't happen and people aren't made to feel that way in the future.

" Scotland's player contracts had been due for renewal in June last year, two months before the World Cup, and they had asked for 12-month deals to ensure job security and allow them to focus on the tournament. While some were offered that deal, a quarter were told their deals would end in October, immediately after the tournament. Four players spoke to BBC Sport on the condition of anonymity and described the news as a "big shock" that put them under huge mental strain.