Scotland played some great rugby and scored three excellent converted tries to defeat England 21-12 in a 35-minute match at the under-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival at Wellington College down south on Tuesday.
The festival offers a crucial development platform for players, coaches and match officials and, in recent years, has become a breeding ground for future international stars, providing invaluable experience in a high performance environment.
The young Scots, being coached by Lindsey Smith, lost out to Wales 21-7 and France 55-0 last Friday in their first two matches at the event, but refreshed and worked hard in training in recent days to then go on and secure this result in a lunchtime game.
Back-row Scarlett Down (Horsham) scored a try converted by centre Niamh Waters (Biggar) to put Scotland 7-0 up before England levelled things up with a converted try of their own.
Full-back Scarlett Haddow (Stirling County) and winger Bethan Mathieson (Dunfermline), who had already scored versus Wales, then teamed up really well and the latter finished excellently for Scotland’s second try. Waters converted for 14-7.
England pulled things back to 14-12, but with 90 seconds to go second-row Aisla Merryweather (Hull Ioanians) ran a great line to score Scotland’s third try. Waters converted and then the team hung on to spark deserved celebrations. What was even more impressive about them getting that clinching try was that they did it with 14 players as hooker Ella Rae (Stirling County) was in the sin bin.
In game two on Tuesday, Scotland took on Ireland in a 35-minute clash.
Ireland went 5-0 up early on before replacement Poppy Mellanby (Biggar) showed great pace to score the levelling try and then the conversion from Kat Bird (Northern) made it 7-5 to Scotland.
Ireland then hit Scotland with three more tries, the last one converted, to make it 22-7 at the end.
The event runs until Saturday and Scotland will finish with a full match against Italy when the squad will be able to put into practice the things they have learnt in their four shorter outings so far.
All Scotland’s fixtures will be broadcast live on Scottish Rugby’s website.
Scotland under-18 squad
Forwards
Kara Borthwick (Currie Chieftains)
Scarlet Down (Horsham)
Cailin Lardner (Stirling County)
Eve Mackay (Strathendrick)
Aisla Merryweather (Hull Ionians)
Ellie Moffat (Watsonians)
Daisy Morrison (Stirling County)
Ellen Nimmo (Boroughmuir Banshees)
Alina Prokopenko (Dalkeith)
Ella Rae (Stirling County)
Mary Rudd (Henley College)
Imogen Spence (Biggar, co-captain)
Pip Sutherland (Old Reigatians)
Gemma Thomson (Stirling County, co-captain)
Amy Vance (Dumfries Saints)
Estella Vaughan (Guildfordians)
Backs
Katherine Bird (Northern)
Lisa Brown (University of Edinburgh)
Ellie Campbell (Ivybridge)
Eilidh Comerford (West of Scotland)
Josie Foubister (University of Edinburgh)
Lucy Giles (Dumfries Saints)
Scarlett Haddow (Stirling County)
Nina Hausrath (Stirling County)
Bethan Mathieson (Dunfermline)
Poppy Mellanby (Biggar)
Tamzin Rosie (Caithness)
Niamh Waters (Biggar)
The Guinness Women’s Six Nations runs from March 22 to April 26 and, next up at home, Scotland are at Hive Stadium in round five versus Ireland on the final day – get tickets here.
Bethan Mathieson is pictured scoring for the under-18s versus England – thanks to Six Nations
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