'Absolute showbuster': What Scotland can expect at Rugby World Cup and why grassroots are so vital

Scotland’s most capped player of all time was at Bishopton RFC in Renfrewshire to see first hand the growth in the girls’ and women’s game.

With the Rugby World Cup in full swing, it is the perfect moment to witness how funding at grassroots level is being put to good use. The hope, of course, is that the stars of tomorrow can come through the ranks at Bishopton and other clubs across the country.

The most gratifying aspect for Kennedy is that the pathway is now there. Scotland, who play Fiji in Salford on Saturday, are now on the brink of reaching the World Cup quarter-finals and a potential showdown with England.

Rugby for breakfast

Investment at ground level is opening up the sport to all while success in the elite echelons means there is no shortage of inspiring role models. Captain Rachel Malcolm has long carried the standard for the national team but the likes of Fran McGhie and Emma Wassell are now propelling themselves into the wider public consciousness.

But if Scottish women’s rugby is to cross into the mainstream it needs strong foundations and Kennedy liked what she saw at Bishopton as girls of all ages were put through their paces in a breakfast-time session.

“Oh, it's been fabulous, honestly,” says Kennedy, who won 115 caps and played for Scotland at a remarkable five World Cups. “They've had an early start - a really early start because the schools are back - but the girls have come down here, and all age ranges as well.”

Kennedy’s Bishopton visit is tied into National Lottery funding for women’s and girls’ participation in rugby in Scotland. Scottish Rugby, the game’s governing body, receives £750,000 a year from the Lottery which is invested in community clubs across the country to grow participation and help the female pathway.

“It just doesn't happen that you become an international rugby player,” says Kennedy. “I started at a club, we've all started somewhere, and that's where the funding comes in. It's vital, it's game-changing for us. I was so heartened being out there today, and speaking to a little girl, Thea, who's seven years old, and just seeing her play. I never had that opportunity as a young girl, I didn't start playing until I was 19, so to have the opportunity now with the support from National Lottery.”

Women’s rugby in the limelight

Scotland’s continued progress at the World Cup will also help. The tournament is breaking all records in terms of attendances, with next month’s final at Twickenham already an 82,000 sell-out. There is also a growing TV audience tuning in. If they can beat Fiji it will almost certainly mean Scotland are through to the last eight of the World Cup for the first time in 15 years.

“It'll make a massive difference,” said Kennedy who was part of the last team to make it that far in 2010. “I think the fact that you can actually now see women's rugby in the limelight, where it deserves to be, and young people have role models to be inspired by and say, ‘look, I can do this’.

“I said to Thea, ‘do you want to play for Scotland?’ She said yes. And she's got a pathway to help her achieve that, especially here at Bishopton, with the support they've had.”

As a sport that tends to welcome players of all shapes and sizes, there is space for everyone. Fran McGhie, Scotland’s latest hero, came into the game via an unconventional route. Her abilities as a dancer earned her a place at the Royal Conservatoire but she swapped ballet for rugby and was the star of last weekend’s 38-8 win over Wales, scoring a dazzling hat-trick.

“She was outstanding,” says Kennedy, “but you've got to look at the play to get her there as well. It's a big team effort, but yeah, she's got the dancing feet, hasn't she?”

Scotland will be looking for more twinkled-toed magic against Fiji before rounding off their Pool B fixtures with a stiff test against world ranked No 2 Canada in Exeter the following week. The win over Wales was far more convincing than many expected, including Kennedy, but she has cautioned against complacency this weekend.

“It’s going to be a tough game, going in against Fiji. Scotland should be favourites, and if they keep to the same game plan, I reckon Fiji will go a bit tight, and we'll get them round the edges, especially with Fran's pace. We should - should - get the win.”

Bring on England

Thoughts, inevitably, have already started to turn to potential quarter-final opponents. If Scotland finish second in Pool B they will meet the winners of Pool A, most likely England. If the Scots can beat Fiji and pull off a shock against Canada and win Pool B then they would meet the runners-up of Pool A, probably Australia or the USA.

The latter scenario would seem a more winnable match but Kennedy would love to see a quarter-final clash with the Auld Enemy.

“First things first, they need to get past Fiji, because that's the key bit, and I think they will. Then it’s Canada and if we don't beat Canada, we'll be sitting second. England are likely to finish at the top of Pool A, so we'd get them in a quarter.

“So it'd be Scotland v England. Now, how about that for a home World Cup? To have Scotland-England as a featured game, live on national television, I mean, that's just going to be an absolute showbuster. It's going to be a thriller of a game, and anything can happen in a World Cup, because it's knockout rugby at that stage.”

In the five World Cups she played in, Kennedy helped Scotland finish fifth, sixth, sixth, sixth and eighth. If the current side can surpass that it would truly be a game-changer.