When news of the contract issues emerged in June, Scotland Rugby chief executive Alex Williamson said the situation would be resolved before the tournament.

However, Scotland wing Rhona Lloyd told the media at the World Cup squad announcement that the agreement reached has resulted in “more than half” of the 32-player squad being left without contracts after the tournament.

Captain Rachel Malcolm described the situation as “very disruptive” with BBC rugby union reporter Sara Orchard describing it as “something that will follow them around” and an unwanted distraction.

Daley-McLean, who led England to victory at the 2014 tournament, is firmly behind the Scotland players, who face Fiji in their second pool game on Saturday.

“No players should be put in that position by their union,” she went on. “You want Scotland to thrive and you want people like Rachel Malcolm to go on and have an awesome World Cup.

“The issue is should these conversations be had six weeks out from a World Cup and putting their girls in a position where they are the ones who have to deal with it.

“He [Alex Williamson] is not coming out and being interviewed, it is Rachel Malcolm who is having to come out and asked to defend the decision.”