Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
When you think of the great Scottish rugby captains, your mind may automatically wander to David Sole, who led the iconic 1990 Grand Slam side, to Finlay Calder or Gavin Hastings, who captained their nation and the Lions, or maybe to Greig Laidlaw, who skippered Scotland more times than any other player.
When she decides to hang up the boots, hopefully years from now, we may well put Rachel Malcolm in the same bracket.
The back-row should earn her 50th cap in the WXV2 opener against Italy in Cape Town on Saturday, a landmark moment for a player who has been at the forefront of a transformative period for the women’s game in Scotland.
Malcolm made her international debut in 2016 against Spain. In those days Scotland struggled to attract any meaningful support, both in terms of fans and financial assistance from the SRU.
Those involved at that time have spoken about Test matches during that period, of playing in front of a couple of hundred fans – mostly friends and families – and their games being used as warm-up acts for the men’s national under-20s team.
At that time it would have seemed impossible to predict with any confidence that Scotland would perform in front of a sell-out crowd, as they did against England at the Hive in this year’s Six Nations.
Or what about Scotland breaking into the top five of the world rankings? After 10 wins in their last 13 Tests, there they are.
It’s been a long and tough road to get the team to where they are now and Malcolm has been central to it all.
She spoke recently about feeling under-prepared for international rugby when she arrived on the scene, but she has developed into a player and leader of considerable substance.
Commanding respect is a prerequisite for any successful captain, and you only have to read and listen to how Malcolm’s team-mates speak about their leader to understand just how highly regarded she is in the dressing room.
With a PhD in environmental physiology, a sports and exercise science bachelor’s degree and a masters degree in exercise physiology, it’s no surprise Malcolm comes across as incredibly intelligent, but it’s the emotional intelligence she has displayed in the tough times that has perhaps been even more impressive.
Bryan Easson’s side endured a horrible run of narrow defeats – including heartbreakers at the hands of Wales and Australia at the last World Cup – and the sense of frustration around the national team, outside the team bubble at least, was palpable.
And yet through that period, Malcolm remained steadfast in her belief that this team would come good, that progress had been made and that progress would soon be underlined with positive results.
The WXV2 title win last year was evidence of that, now the team returns to South Africa looking to go back-to-back.
With the recent good form and a real sense of momentum behind Scotland at the moment, you wouldn’t bet against Malcolm and her team-mates lifting the trophy once again.
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