Scotland's World Cup bid is a team push - from braiding to upsetting odds against England

Martin, who is on the bench for Scotland’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final clash with the Auld Enemy on Sunday, is one of two chief hair stylists in the team alongside back row star Evie Gallagher.

On the morning of the biggest game of their young careers, the pair will spend hours braiding most of their teammates’ hair, so they are battle ready to go in search of history.

To some, what athletes do with their hair might be a flippant thing, but when you compare Scotland’s set-up to world number one England’s, who have employed professional braiders, the identity of each team becomes clearer.

“We are professional in so many ways, and we don’t take shortcuts in our recovery and our nutrition,” Martin said, as she is quick to praise the team around the team. “Our manager goes above and beyond to make sure we have the best facilities, the best hotels, the best training times, the best food.

“Our S&C make sure we have the best programme, the best supplements, whatever else it is. But we definitely don’t cut corners when it comes to being together. We got a professional braider in a few years ago and she was lovely, but it wasn’t right, and it wasn’t us.

Braiding so meaningful for Scotland

“I know there are many cultures in the world where they braid luck, and they braid messages and happiness into people and when they are working together and for us it is an art, and it is a way of connecting and it is a way of being together in those moments before a game and taking breaths together.

“It is probably not as airy fairy on the day but for me it is so meaningful, and I would feel so empty without having that. People will sit around the braiding area and take in the atmosphere, they say they are coming to the salon early so they can be there with the vibes and the chat, and people bring you gifts.

“They appreciate it so much and that validation knowing you are doing something nice for the squad is so the essence of us. As a squad, we do everything together, doing everything for each other and not one ounce of it is individual. I know the England girls are all friends, but I can say that that is something that is similar, that is the difference I think.”

Scotland will play the team many are calling the champions elect in Bristol at 4pm on Sunday in their first World Cup quarter-final in 23 years. Beat England and Bryan Easson’s side would make history, reach a first semi-final and ending the Red Roses win streak before it can break another world record.

It would also prolong the international career of Jade Konkel, who will retire at the conclusion of this World Cup. The 31-year-old was Scotland’s first-ever contracted professional women’s rugby player and her retirement comes with a cloud of uncertainty over the women’s team with a long-running contract dispute paused for the World Cup campaign.

As much as togetherness has been the buzzword of Scotland’s tournament, so has adversity. However, Martin will not allow her side’s history-making to run to be defined by this.

Adversity does not drive Scotland

She added: “The adversity we have faced is not what drives us, it is each other and we do what we do in spite of what people have done to us, not because of it, that is a really important distinction for us to make.

“We deserve support, we deserve help, and we deserve to be treated well and to be seen as equal to other teams and to whoever else. We excel in spite of the adversity not because of it.”

England’s head coach John Mitchell has claimed his side too have had to push through adversity to make it the quarter-final of their home World Cup.

The Red Roses have conceded only 17 points from their three pool games but did say without captain Zoe Aldcroft in the forward pack for two of those matches. She returns to start against Scotland, with Holly Aitchison handed the starting fly-half jersey having herself battled back from injury.

Mitchell said: “We’ve also been experiencing some adversity through injuries, bits, and pieces. That’s what this tournament will throw at you, so you’ve just got to keep it focused and make sure that you just keep doing the best you can at the end of each day."

England were last defeated by Scotland at the European Championship in 1999 and are one win away from extending their own world record for consecutive wins to 31 in a row. Their last defeat came in the World Cup final three years ago, the same tournament where Scotland exited the groups.

Easson’s side have pushed on spectacularly since then and need little motivation going into their clash with England. However, Mitchell offered little concern despite a semi-final being on the line, and a less than assured performance against Australia last weekend.

“"I think everyone has raised their performance,” he added. “Clearly people will say that Scotland have raised their performance against us but there’s still vulnerability in the Scottish team. There’s still opportunities to build pressure, so we’ll be hunting those weaknesses."

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