Captain Malcolm excited by new Scotland era

Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm admits her side might have to take a step backwards in some areas at this year's Six Nations, but is enthused by a new era with the national team.

Australian Sione Fukofuka replaced Bryan Easson as head coach in December, with defence coach Tyrone Holmes also leaving the set-up.

Caity Mattinson, Lisa Cockburn and Jade Konkel ended their international careers after last year's World Cup, with the latter among players critical of Scottish Rugby for a perceived lack of support for the women's national team.

The Scots are also without key players Anne Young and Evie Gallagher through injury.

They start their campaign in Cardiff on Saturday against Wales, who they beat 38-8 at the World Cup.

"If I look at it from a realistic perspective, I don't think it's going to be perfect. I don't know where we're going to be," Malcolm told BBC Scotland before the Six Nations opener.

"I'm very confident in the work we've done, but it is a new cycle. We've had two weeks as a group.

"It's exciting because we're going to see where we're at. Until you're put in that Test match arena, you don't know.

"I think there might be a step back in some areas, but hopefully a step forward in more."

Malcolm might not be sure where Scotland will stand in this year's Six Nations, but she knows where they want to get to.

"We are at the start of a new cycle, but by the end of this cycle we don't want to be seen as an underdog," she said.

"We want to be a team that other teams see as a threat and to do that we need to string together consistent performances.

"We want to be a team fighting in that top four, five teams in the world and we're at an exciting point in that journey. Everything's new, everything's fresh."