Loughborough's Becky Boyd starting to find her voice and aiming to make some noise at the World Cup
Becky Boyd is looking forward to the Women's Rugby World Cup with Scotland
©Scottish Rugby
Anyone who has followed the Scotland women’s squad in recent years via social media will know there are plenty of loud and energetic characters in there.
Before this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations, however, a much quieter figure joined the group in the shape of young Loughborough Lightning second-row/six Becky Boyd.
While she may not say much, Boyd let her rugby do the talking, earning her first three international caps against France, Italy, and England in that competition.
Then 20, she brought physicality and work rate to the role. Now 21, she has done enough to secure a place in Scotland’s 32-strong Women’s Rugby World Cup squad.
“It's really exciting,” said Boyd, who previously trained with England at Under-20 level.
“Being part of this World Cup squad is not something that I'd have expected at all, even a few months ago really.
“Before the Six Nations, Bryan Easson, the head coach, was in touch with me about coming into the group and training and I was quite excited about that, but I didn't know what it would lead to.
“I didn't expect to get capped at all in the Six Nations so to come off the bench against France was something else.
“It was just so different to anything I had ever experienced before because the stadium [the Stade Marcel-Deflandre] seated around 17,000 people and it was packed.
“It was definitely louder than I had ever experienced before, but it was a great feeling as was then starting the games against Italy and England.
“Despite everything being new to me, I've felt part of the squad since the first day I was in camp and everyone was really welcoming.
“Obviously, it helps that I knew a couple of the girls from Loughborough before I came in, but I’ve just tried to work hard and do my best, and now to be going to a World Cup feels a bit like a dream.”
‘I always knew about my Scottish connections’
Boyd only began playing rugby five years ago at 16, starting at local club Grimsby before moving to Newark.
“Newark were the closest team that could get a full girls’ squad out,” she explained.
“It was about an hour and a half away, but I loved it and I played there and then went to Loughborough for university. I've got one more year left of my studies in sports science and since being based there, I have been linked in with Loughborough Lightning too [Boyd made nine PWR appearances last term] which has definitely helped my development.
“My Scottish eligibility came from my grandad who has passed away now. I knew him when I was younger and he had quite a strong accent, so I always knew about my Scottish connections.
“That’s on my dad’s side and both my parents are really excited about me playing for Scotland and the World Cup news.
“They just want to see me do well. They live in Grimsby and have travelled to all my games so far and that means a lot to me.”
Whenever a player steps up to international level there are areas to develop. For Boyd, one stands out.
“I think for me it's communication,” she said.
“I'm definitely one of the quieter ones in the squad so that's something I've been really working on and building on here in the Scotland set up both on pitch and off pitch.
“I am starting to feel more confident in that regard now.”
Bryan Easson on Boyd: ‘I like her as a player and like what she brings to the table’
With experienced options in the second-row and back-row, competition is fierce. So what made head coach Bryan Easson take a chance on Boyd?
“Becky is still a young kid and she is still learning her trade, but she is someone who is very coachable, takes on everything she has been asked to do and has impressed us,” he explained.
“She can play in the back-row, but she also has that real power and physicality which means she can play second-row.
“She is good in the lineout, she is very powerful in her ball carrying and is a strong defender too. I like her as a player and like what she brings to the table.”
Rachel Malcolm on Boyd: ‘She has really thrived coming into the Scotland environment’
Captain Rachel Malcolm, one of Scotland’s experienced back-rows, saw Boyd grow at Loughborough Lightning before her move to Trailfinders Women ahead of 2025/26.
“Becky is someone that I have worked with closely for the last couple of seasons and she has really thrived coming into the Scotland environment,” Malcolm said.
“She is not someone who is the loudest person, but she has come into an international environment and performed even better than in a club environment and that is testament to how much this means to her.
“She has had a quite tough year on and off the pitch so it says everything about her character that she has been able to come in here and take this opportunity.”
The Women’s Rugby World Cup runs from August 22 to September 27. Scotland’s Pool B fixtures are Wales in Manchester on August 23, Fiji in Manchester on August 30 and Canada in Exeter, September 6
The squad departs for the tournament on Friday, August 15.
