Netherlands crush Scotland A 33-0 and survive commando training ahead of WXV Global Challenger Series

The Netherlands women’s rugby team touched down in Hong Kong for the WXV Global Challenger Series having completed a punishing pre-tournament programme that included a Dutch Army Special Operations Forces commando camp and a 33-0 demolition of Scotland A.

Head coach Gareth Gilbert opted to put the Dames XV through several days at a camp run by the Korps Commandotroepen — the Dutch special forces unit — before the squad even boarded their flight. The sessions tested physical endurance, mental resilience, and adaptability, with players required to keep functioning as a unit under sustained pressure.

Utility forward Inger Jongerius, who plays club rugby for FC Grenoble Amazones, described the experience as immediately humbling. “You immediately feel a great deal of respect for them,” she said. “The tasks were physically and mentally demanding, but they served as good preparation for the upcoming games.”

Prop Sydney de Weijer echoed that assessment, pointing to the mental dimension as the real test. “Once we became physically tired, it really came down to our mental strength and our ability to keep going,” she said. “When you are tired and under pressure, it is easy to lose focus or make small mistakes. We had to learn to stay focused, communicate with each other and keep working together, even when things did not go as planned.”

Jongerius also drew a direct line between the camp’s lessons and what the Netherlands will need against Samoa, Brazil, and Fiji in the Global Challenger Series. “We know that a good work rate alone won’t be enough,” she said. “We must keep fighting for the full 80 minutes and ensure that the details are spot on. It was also a valuable lesson in leadership, showing that you can only succeed if you work together as a team.”

Beyond the physical demands, both players highlighted the bonding effect of the experience. Jongerius noted that the special forces personnel demonstrated an intimate knowledge of each other’s strengths and weaknesses — a model the Dutch squad are now trying to replicate on the rugby field.

The 33-0 win over Scotland A provided further confidence heading into the tournament, giving Gilbert’s side competitive minutes and a clean sheet to carry into their opening fixture in Hong Kong.