2026-07-25 11:31:06

Rachel Malcolm feels that her experience could be invaluable on the Women’s British and Irish Lions tour.

The Scotland captain admits that it would be a “dream” to represent the Lions on their historic inaugural tour of New Zealand next year and will do her best to convince coach Jo Yapp to select her.

Malcolm, 35, told Rugby World magazine: “I’m no spring chicken, I’ve been around the block, so I’m just focusing on being the best person that I can be and the best player that I can be. There is a carrot dangling at the end of this season, but ultimately you’ve got to do your first job first.

“I think the Lions is something iconic. It’s something pretty cool. It’s something none of us could ever have dreamt of as kids because it wasn’t a thing for women, and I think now that it is, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a dream of mine to be a part of it.

“But I’m also very aware of the challenge and the people that I would be up against. So all I can do is put my best foot forward and leave no stone unturned.”

Malcolm is also leading Scotland’s “new cycle” as the team rebuild after losing to England in the quarter-finals of last year’s World Cup.

The Ealing Trailfinders flanker said: “Scotland are at the start of a new cycle and I think that’s obvious to everyone that’s looking from the outside in. It’s obvious to us that are inside that bubble too.

“We had a big turnover of players after the World Cup through retirement, and then we had a big drop-off in players through injury as well, so we were in a pretty tight spot this Six Nations in terms of availability.

“I think that showed on the pitch – we had quite an inexperienced team and we were put under a lot of pressure by a number of very good sides.

“What it did do was expose our weaknesses and it also showed that we have some good young players coming through who need more experience. I think the exposure that they got this Six Nations will be important in our journey going forward.”

Malcolm added: “But we’re at a point in our cycle where we need to look at ourselves. We need to be pretty quick about how we develop those younger players, and how we get as many of us back fit as possible, so that we can bolster that with some experience as well. But it’s definitely not panic stations.”

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