FORMER Tavistock Girls RFC player and Tavistock College student, Kirsty McCall, is pulling on an international shirt and appearing for Scotland U20 Ladies this Saturday against England.
Kirsty took up rugby at the age of 10, playing mixed rugby for Tavistock U11s. When she found out she couldn't play mixed rugby after the age of 12 but that there were girls teams around Devon and Cornwall, she persuaded her mum, Mhairi, to start a Tavistock girls team. This was in October 2005 and the girls are still going strong with the U18s top of their league and the U15s in the middle of theirs. A new U12s section under the leadership of U18s player, Cathy O'Boyle, has also been established this year.
Kirsty, 19, played for Devon at U14, 15 and 18 levels as well as South West South (Devon, Cornwall and Somerset) at the same levels. She was selected for Scotland U18s at the age of 15 which involved not inconsiderable travelling, some of it very early in the morning, and expense. Kirsty is also a qualified rugby referee and officiated at many junior and mens matches around Devon.
Now at Stirling University she joined the ladies rugby club. On her first match at Edinburgh University the Scotland U20s' coach spotted her and told her to come along to the U20 trials the following week. This she did and, this Saturday plays her first match for the team.