Scotland Women anticipate record Murrayfield crowd against England
Scotland Women will play in front of a record-breaking crowd of around 28,000 fans at Murrayfield on Saturday for their Six Nations clash against formidable favourites England.
The anticipated attendance shatters the team’s previous home high of 7,774, set against the same opposition at the Hive earlier this year.
Ticket sales have already surpassed the combined total of the nation’s five highest attendances at their usual smaller venue.
A monumental milestone for Scottish rugby
Moving the fixture to the main national stadium marks a monumental milestone for the hosts.
For the seasoned campaigners in the squad, the contrast between past struggles and Saturday’s spectacle is incredibly stark.
Veterans such as Lana Skeldon, Emma Wassell and captain Rachel Malcolm vividly recall playing in front of virtually empty stands during their early careers.
“It’s a bit of a pinch me moment.”
Malcolm admitted ahead of the historic encounter.
“We’ve come from having empty stands or not many fans to be in front of a historic crowd and it’s something that we are just so proud of.”
Surpassing the national football record
To contextualise the achievement, the anticipated turnout easily eclipses the biggest crowd ever drawn by the national women’s football team.
A previous landmark of 18,555 spectators watched the footballers face Jamaica in a 2019 international.
Despite women’s football traditionally receiving broader mainstream coverage, the rugby squad will confidently bypass that benchmark this weekend.
The decision by organisers to utilise the expansive Murrayfield pitch has clearly been vindicated by the soaring ticket demand.
The Red Roses juggernaut awaits
While the occasion is a triumph off the pitch, the reality on the field remains deeply daunting for the home side.
The visitors arrive boasting astonishing recent attendances themselves, including 77,120 for last weekend’s tournament opener against Ireland.
Evie Wills has been named as the sole change to the starting lineup tasked with containing the world’s top-ranked team.
Meanwhile, the Red Roses have reshuffled their formidable pack and backline, shifting Ellie Kildunne to the wing and bringing Sarah Burton into the second row.
The reigning champions are heavily fancied to secure a comfortable victory, but the hosts will focus on incremental gains and delivering a resolute performance.
