Scrum-half Leia Brebner-Holden has said there will be no split loyalties within her family when Scotland take on England in the quarter-finals of Rugby World Cup 2025 in Bristol on Sunday.
England finished top of Pool A after a clean sweep of victories in the pool stage, while Scotland were on course for the same until they came up against Canada in round three. The Scots’ loss in Exeter has put them on a collision course with their old rivals, which had the potential to cause a rift within the Brebner-Holden household.
"Mum is Scottish, dad and sister are English, but this weekend they’re definitely all team Scotland! I’ve had plenty of reassurance from both sides that they’re definitely rooting for us this week,” the scrum-half said.
“My dad and sister are a huge part of my rugby journey, so they might be English, but they’re alright, I suppose…"
The 23-year-old says there was no split loyalties of her own when she decided to follow the path to Scotland rather than the Red Roses.
"Not at all, no,” she said in a press conference earlier this week. “My family and I were looking at old pictures the other day, and I've always had a Scotland top on. So, it means the same to me as it does to everyone else here."
It’s not just in the stands where Brebner-Holden will see familiar faces. Starting opposite her in the number nine jersey is Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt, who is an old mentor of the Scot’s.
"She coached me a lot through my college and university years,” Brebner-Holden says.
“She definitely helped with my passing, and I do owe her a bit of credit. However, the fact that some of my knowledge has come from her is maybe good for me too!”
Brebner-Holden and her team-mates with have their work cut out for them in what will be a tough match against the number-one ranked team in the world.
It’s a fact not lost on assistant coach Tyrone Holmes, but he says his players can take confidence for the way they navigated a difficult pool stage.
"It’s a huge challenge, and they are the best team in the world,” he said of England. “There are chinks in the armour though, no team is perfect.
“It’s not the first time we’ve been underdogs, and yes, it will have to be one of our best performances, but we relish that.
"We’re up for it. We’ve done exceptionally well with a quality win over Wales and a very technical and professional one against Fiji.
“We played a great performance against Canada and now we’re in the knockouts we hold the belief that anything can happen."
