The Rugby Paper online recently sat down with three Harlequins Women’s players as they look ahead to their “Game Changer” fixture with Wasps Women on 13th May. Here, skipper Emily Scott speaks to Online Editor Nick Powell.
Harlequins Women’s captain Emily Scott is “confident” that her side can reach the play-offs as the Premier 15s resumes with their Game Changer fixture against Wasps at the Stoop tomorrow.
Champions in 2021, Quins have never failed to reach the play-offs in every year they have been held since the league began in the 2017/18 season.
But sat in fifth place, Quins are locked in a battle for the final top four spot with Bristol, who are ahead of them by four points in the table.
Despite having not reached the play-offs since 2018, Gloucester–Hartpury have joined last year’s finalists Exeter Chiefs and Saracens in a top three that are now realistically unassailable, but Scott has not been shocked by Quins’ play-off place being more difficult to secure this season.
“I don’t think it was a surprise,” she said. “We know that other teams have been getting stronger and stronger every year, and that’s not to say that we’ve got weaker as such it’s just that it’s a really competitive league.
“Ultimately that’s exactly what we want, because the games are more competitive and it’s a better product, but obviously we want to be in a position where we’re making the semi-finals and that’s still the aim.
“The pressure is on, for sure, but I’m very confident with the squad that we’ve got that we’ll give ourselves the best opportunity to go out and do it.”
With 38 England caps to her name, an Olympic appearance in 2016 and a Commonwealth Games bronze in 2018, 30-year-old Scott has had a distinguished international career in addition to her domestic success with Harlequins.
But although she did not make England’s squad in their Six Nations triumph this year, and feels she still has plenty to offer at international level, she is happy focusing on the club game for the time being.
“I feel really content with what I’ve done and what I’ve achieved,” she added. “I can’t say I wouldn’t want to get back in because ultimately I feel like I’m good enough and I feel like there are things that I can offer.
“Especially having watched the Six Nations, I do feel my style of play would and how I play for Quins would be perfectly suited to go out there and be ten for England.
“But ultimately I’ve not had the call, and it’s not weighing me down. I enjoyed having a bit of time off and I’ve got myself to come back in for Quins. If at any point an England call up comes along then great, and I would happily love to take it, but it’s not something that I’m pushing or striving to achieve.”
Saturday’s “Game Changer” fixture is defined by Quins as a celebration of women’s rugby, and this year is also doubling up as the club’s LGBT+ Pride fixture, which ended in victory in the men’s equivalent last month.
And while Scott is primarily concerned with matters on the field, she also expressed her own pride at being involved in an important spectacle for the club.
“We were one of the pioneering clubs in terms of creating an event like that for a game, and the way it’s grown over the last few years has been fantastic.
“For us, as players, we very much know we’ve got to go out there, do a job, and we know we’ll do that. But looking at the wider picture, and what it’s doing for the growth of the game and to bring in new supporters, I think it’s great Quins put this on every year and something I’m proud to be part of.”
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