In pre-World Cup camps, contract talks were taking place between players and the Scottish Rugby Union. Some of the 32-player squad had deals which ran until May 2026, but the rest of the team had arrangements which ended in October after the World Cup had concluded. In November last year, the SRU announced an increased number of 35 players would be financially supported, but only 21 of the 32 World Cup squad were to receive a contract.
Beth Blacklock was one of the players who did not receive a new deal; she had previously been on a developmental contract with the governing body but was given a five-month deal which covered the World Cup and ended in October. Blacklock said her mental health was not impacted by the process, but she did tell the Guardian it was 'difficult' to see some of her teammates going through a stressful time. After the World Cup, Beth Blacklock returned to Saracens and, after some time to reflect, she decided to retire from the international game.
Blacklock added her decision had nothing to do with the contract situation and instead she just wants to make rugby a second priority in her life. The SRU said in a statement it engaged with the Scotland Women playing group over many months starting in March 2025 to work through the contracting process in a timely manner ahead of the Rugby World Cup, with discussions concluded and communicated prior to the tournament commencing.