Leia Brebner-Holden prepares to face familiar foe in World Cup quarter-final

Leia Brebner-Holden will be hoping to complete the trajectory from student to master when she faces former coach and England star Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt during Scotland’s World Cup quarter-final in Bristol.

The 23-year-old Loughborough Lightning has impressed as Scotland’s scrum-half and has her opposite number in part to thank having been coached by Hunt during her time at Hartpury College and university.

And while Brebner-Holden acknowledges the influence of the 2014 Rugby World Cup winner on her own career, she is focused on her own capabilities as they prepare to go head-to-head.

“Personally, it is really interesting coming up against Mo Hunt because she coached me a lot through my college and university years,” she said.

“So, the fact that some of my knowledge has come from her is maybe good for me because I have got that in the bank a little bit.

“We spent a lot of time passing together, she definitely helped and is a big part of my passing to be fair.

“I don’t really want to say it, please don’t tell her! But I definitely do owe her a bit of credit.

“But our focus is on us, we are not looking at how we can outdo them or one up the opposite number, we are doing what we are confident in, and we are displaying that at the weekend.”

1⃣ day until the quarterfinal clash ⚔#AsOne pic.twitter.com/bBQVn5Iuy4

— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) September 13, 2025

And the familiarity with England is not just limited to her opposing scrum-half having grown up in Taunton before moving to Abu Dhabi at two years old.

It was only to attend Hartpury that she would return to England, but Brebner-Holden never had any doubts she would play in the blue of her mother’s Scotland.

There will also be no doubt who her family will be cheering on in Bristol on Sunday as Scotland appear in the World Cup last eight for the first time since 2002.

“This weekend, they are definitely all team Scotland,” asserted Brebner-Holden.

“My dad started that chain of me getting into rugby, he started playing rugby when he was younger.

“We were looking at old family photos the other day and I’ve always had a Scotland top on, it’s always been that way, so the fact that I am here means the same to me as it does to everyone else here.”

This rivalry runs deep 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿#RWC2025 #ENGvSCO pic.twitter.com/eLK9LjmvRR

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 12, 2025

It marks Brebner-Holden’s first World Cup, as she makes up one of nine players in the squad who were not born the last time Scotland played in the last eight of a World Cup.

But does not view her side making the knockout stages as a new norm for Scottish rugby.

“I don’t think that is a headspace that anyone is in because we are all together as a team,” she said.

“It was 2002 the last time Scotland was in a quarter-final and I think the fact that we get to go against the home nation at a World Cup is massive.

“It is a massive stage for us to put forward what women’s rugby is but especially what Scottish women’s rugby and how far we have come over that length of time and I think it is a great platform for us to be on.”

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