Scotland World Cup star Emma Orr inspires next generation at Biggar RFC
Emma Orr on the attack versus Wales
©N50 Sports Photography
One of the main aims of the ongoing, record-breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup is to inspire the next generation.
And one player who is certainly doing that is Scotland centre Emma Orr, after 59 members of the Biggar girls’ section - along with 15 adults - headed to Manchester at the weekend to watch her in action.
Orr, the 22-year-old who earned her 31st cap against Wales in the Pool B opener at the Salford Community Stadium last Saturday, came through the ranks at Biggar RFC and continues to inspire so many in the local area and beyond.
The icing on the cake of Scotland’s excellent 38-8 bonus point win came when Orr crossed for their sixth and final try late on. Things got even better for the Biggar girls when they met her after the game and had their photo taken together.
Orr, who now plays for Bristol Bears, said: “It was so good to hear beforehand that lots of Biggar girls were coming down to the Wales game and then when I saw the sheer number of them afterwards, it was amazing.
“They all seemed to be having a great trip, and having them there really spurred me on and made my smile even wider after the game.
“When I was coming through at Biggar, I had heard of club legends like Donna Kennedy, who had gone on to play for Scotland and another internationalist, Sarah Denholm, was just a bit older than me and they were role models.
“If I can be a role model to the next generation of Biggar girls, then I will be happy while with the club now in the women’s Premiership, these are certainly exciting times at Hartree Mill.”
Catriona Malone, one of the adults who travelled with the Biggar girls, said: “It was an amazing weekend. The girls were at the England-USA match in Sunderland on the Friday evening and then we travelled down to Manchester.
“We had girls from the Under-12 section right up to the Under-18 team with us and they loved the Scotland game and they were so excited to see Emma.
“She actually left the rest of the Scotland team at the end of the game to come over and speak to the girls and sign autographs and get pictures. Biggar as a club is very proud of her.
“What an experience for the girls and we also lucked out. All the tries in the first half were right in front of us so spirits were very high.
“Then on Sunday we travelled north for the Tynedale Festival before heading home with lots of stories and memories.”
‘We were all on our A game versus Wales, but we need to stay at that level’
In terms of the game, Orr was delighted that everyone in the squad found their ‘A game’ to help defeat Wales and she wants them to stay at that level against Fiji this coming Saturday.
The result leaves Scotland with a strong chance of progressing out of Pool B and into the quarter-finals but for now, all focus is on Fiji.
The game takes place at the same venue and Orr, who now has 31 caps, said: “We were all on our A game versus Wales, but we've still got a big few weeks coming up and we need to stay at that level. It can’t just be a one-off.
“We are all feeling very positive moving forward. We've been striving for that 80-minute performance for so long. We've seen glimpses of it, but against Wales it came and we were ‘on it’ from the first minute.
“It was a really professional performance and we were really pleased with how we played.
“We did have a game plan. Take Francesca McGhie, for example who went on to score a try hat-trick. We wanted to get the ball in her hands and she's so dangerous out wide.
“We spoke about getting a fast start, and that's exactly what we got. Attacking-wise things went well and then just before half-time, there was a big defensive set that was important. There was also another at the end, and that shows our desire not to concede points.
“We showed real character and we will have to again against Fiji.”
‘Analysing opposition is something that we all are pretty hot on’
Since breaking onto the international scene aged 18 in 2022, Orr has gone from strength to strength.
She is now one of the first names on the Scotland teamsheet in the 13 shirt, having already played at the Commonwealth Games sevens in 2022 and the World Cup in New Zealand that same year before arriving at this World Cup in England.
Organised both on and off the pitch, she explained: “I write down things all the time. I have my notebook with me just about everywhere. I like to write things down and see it written down.
“Analysing opposition is something that we all are pretty hot on, looking at people in our position and where we can potentially target.”
Scotland’s matchday 23 will be named on Thursday for the Fiji game, with experienced forwards Lana Skeldon and Jade Konkel set to miss out through injury.
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