The spotlight on Sunday may well be on the Twickenham Stoop for
the Women's Rugby World Cup 2010 final, but there's still
plenty of rugby to be played at Surrey Sports Park with old
rivalries renewed and tournament ranking places to be decided.
On the back of heavy defeats to Canada and USA respectively,
Scotland and Ireland will both be looking to bounce back when they
meet at 11:15 local time on Pitch 1, with each side no doubt keen
to finish the tournament on a high.
While seventh would represent a one place improvement for
Ireland on their performance in Canada four years ago, for Scotland
it would see them slip one place, although Millard certainly
wouldn't regard that as a backward step.
"It'll be a really big thing for us - we came in
seeded ninth. Since the last World Cup we've had a few
difficult years and now the programmes are in place for the younger
players coming through. Hopefully you're going to see a
stronger Scotland in future," said Millard.
"To be in the five-eight rankings was a good result for
us. We're happy with where we find ourselves and I think that
if we'd put down a goal before the tournament we'd be happy
with a seventh place play-off."
Learning curve
Like many teams, Women's Rugby World Cup 2010 has been a
learning experience for Scotland, who arrived on the back of a
tough RBS Women's Six Nations only to then walk straight into a
Canada side with title aspirations.
It was a sobering first World Cup experience for some of
Scotland's young guns, but the team regrouped in typical
fashion to push semi finalists France to the wire before earning
their first win of the tournament against Sweden.
A second crack at Canada would bring a similar outcome, but
Millard, a veteran of 56 international appearances, firmly believes
that the experience, while a sharp learning curve, will leave a
very positive impression on Scotland's emerging talent.
"I think it's been great for a lot of the new
players who haven't played teams like Canada before. It's
almost another level and it's good for people to see that -
that's where I need to get to if I want to compete," said
Millard.
"We've had a good mix of teams to play against and
we have developed with every game, and the younger players will
take so much from this on to the future and that will be really
good for them.
Flowing rugby?
"We've got a great coaching team in place, so
hopefully that continuity will carry on. We do have younger players
coming through and there have been a lot of inexperienced players
who have gained experience at this tournament.
"They'll be a few retirements; Donna Kennedy might
actually retire! We don't know, we'll just wait and see. So
I think it's positive looking."
But before the future can begin, there is of course one last
piece of unfinished business for Millard and her teammates to take
care of - their old Six Nations rivals Ireland, who are similarly
licking their wounds after a 40-3 defeat to USA. For Millard, it
will all be about which side can erase thoughts of Wednesday's
defeats from their minds.
"Nobody likes losing heavily so we're both in the
same boat. It's about who gets back up there quicker, but the
World Cup's all about that. You have to get over the last
result and build forwards, and they'll definitely be the energy
and the buzz there when we face up on Sunday," said Millard,
who hopes that their familiarity won't lead them to cancel each
other out.
"I hope not otherwise you'd end up with stalemate
and nobody really breaking through, but both teams will be
analysing each other and looking to see where they can get that
extra edge. And hopefully we'll see a bit of flowing rugby -
it'll be a nice finish to the tournament."
The last time Scotland and Ireland crossed paths in a full
international was in County Meath during the Six Nations, when the
Irish ran out 15-3 winners. In the build up to the World Cup,
Scotland did reverse that result in a training match, winning
20-15, but it's the defeat in Asbourne that stands out more for
Millard.
Flattering praise
"I got my 50th cap but also our team performance was far
better than it had been in the games leading up. Our physicality
and aggression levels really matched the Irish, especially in the
first half, so that's a good memory for me," said Millard,
who is expecting a similarly physical encounter this time around.
"Whoever wins up front will be the key, whoever gets the
edge at the breakdown and gives their backs a better platform.
It'll be a physical game, both teams will relish that and I
think that will be the deciding factor."
It will also be a last opportunity for Millard to add to her
tally of four tries - just two behind pace setters Carla Hohepa of
New Zealand and Canada's Heather Moyse. Millard, though, is
typically modest about her own deeds and talk that she would not be
out of place in any backline at the tournament.
"It's very flattering if people say that, but people
do things to allow me the chance to do my role on the pitch.
Scoring a try has come from a lot of hard work by our forwards and
good service by our 10," she said.
"Personally I've been reasonably happy. You always
make mistakes, you always go over things that you should have done
differently, but like everyone I've given 100 per cent in each
game and you can't really ask for much more than that."
The future looks bright for Scotland and it starts here, but
not before the small matter of a tussle with old rivals Ireland for
the right to finish seventh at Women's Rugby World Cup
2010.
