Scotland battled all the way, but a tough start and then losing two players late on to finish with 13 saw them lose the WXV 2 title decider on Saturday in Cape Town to Australia and finish as runners-up.
The squad, who beat Italy and Japan earlier in the competition, will arrive home on Monday after the 31-22 defeat in the Athlone Sports Stadium in South Africa.
The match report…
Italy defeated South Africa 23-19 earlier in the day to distinguish any title hopes the latter had leaving it down to these two sides.
At kick-off Scotland (eight points) needed a win while Australia (10) knew a win or a draw would see them crowned champions.
In the first 10 minutes both teams were really feeling each other out and there were no scoring chances of note.
However, with a penalty advantage two minutes later, Australia showed good handling and winger Desiree Miller sped away and scored the opening try. Stand-off Faitala Moleka converted and it was 7-0.
Scotland were giving away too many penalties and that was making it hard for them to get a foothold in the game.
And in the 17th minute Australia made it 14-0.
Again, it was neat hands in the midfield and they found the other edge, winger Maya Stewart showing similar pace to Miller to outstrip the defence and score. Moleka converted.
Everything was going Australia’s way here and, in the 22nd minute, they scored their third try. Moleka spotted space in behind the defence and a neat grubber kick put centre Cecilia Smith in for the score which was converted.
Scotland had to be the next team to score and they were when loosehead prop Leah Bartlett went over from short range under the posts after patient build up. Stand-off Helen Nelson converted.
Australia back-row Siokapesi Palu was then yellow carded for shoulder-on-head contact with Bartlett soon after following a chat between referee Clara Munarini and the TMO.
Two minutes into the sin bin period Scotland took advantage of having an extra player when a counter attack from winger Coreen Grant was then finished off by full-back Chloe Rollie after a neat pass from No.8 Evie Gallagher. It was Rollie’s 25th Scottish try, but it could not be converted and it was 21-12.
Moleka then missed a penalty for Australia and they had a nine point advantage at the interval.
Scotland replaced second-row Eva Donaldson with Louise McMillan at the break and Palu returned a minute into the half and it was 15 versus 15 again.
The Scots had a good spell of possession just before the 50th minute. They could not get try number three, but they were certainly on the front foot now.
And try number three did come in the 54th minute when replacement loosehead prop Anne Young, just on the field, went over under the posts for her first try for her country. Nelson missed the relatively simple conversion and it was 21-17.
The momentum was then stunted just before the hour mark when centre Emma Orr was yellow carded for a head-on-head tackle.
After a bunker review the yellow was upgraded to a red after 64 minutes and it made Scotland’s task that bit more difficult.
However, with 14 players Scotland kept battling away and, after good phase play, winger Francesca McGhie went over for an unconverted try in the 68th minute and suddenly they were 22-21 up.
The drama was far from done though and McGhie was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on before, in the 73rd minute, Moleka kicked a penalty given for another incident to make it 24-22.
Scotland, now with 13, tried their best to give it one last blast, but a late try from back-row Ashley Marsters, converted by Moleka, finished it at 31-22 and Scotland could not retain their title.
England won WXV 1 and Spain won WXV 3.
What they said…
Scotland head coach Bryan Easson: “I do think this is a really exciting group of players and I do feel that there is more in this group.
“We have probably pushed on so much in the last 18 months or so that we have now set our bar quite high, but it is clear that we haven’t hit the heights we wanted to in this competition.
“We have made strides in certain areas and there are others we still need to work on, but we are moving in the right direction and we now have plenty to be getting on with heading into a World Cup year.”
Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm added: “There is a lot more in us which we have a number of months to find and I have no doubt we will.
“We have built foundations heading into the World Cup year and it is about learning now. We have time to let this one hurt and use it as fuel to help us really hit the ground running in 2025 and come back stronger heading into the Six Nations and then that World Cup.”
Three things that caught the eye…
- Tentative start: Australia came out all guns blazing, but the first 22 minutes just was not very ‘Scotland’ like. They were forcing passes, not playing with clarity and, in the end, it cost them.
- Rollie-ing with it: Full-back Chloe Rollie now has 25 tries for her country after one here and that is the same number as winger Rhona Lloyd. Hats off to both for reaching such a number.
- A missed opportunity: While the start always gave the Scots a mountain to climb, this was a match that they could have won and certainly had the capabilities too. It may hurt for a while.
What’s next…
The silver lining at the weekend was that Scotland’s qualification for Rugby World Cup 2025 was finally rubberstamped. Next up is the draw for that on October 17, the schedule for that on October 21 and then the Guinness Women’s Six Nations in March and April with everything building to the showpiece event in August and September.
Scotland women’s squad and scorers in the WXV 2 clash with Australia
15 Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders) (one try)
14 Coreen Grant (Saracens)
13 Emma Orr (Bristol Bears)
12 Lisa Thomson (Ealing Trailfinders)
11 Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers) (one try)
10 Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning) (one conversion)
9 Leia Brebner-Holden (Gloucester-Hartpury/Cheltenham Tigers)
1 Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers) (one try)
2 Lana Skelson (Bristol Bears)
3 Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears) (
4 Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers)
5 Sarah Bonar (Harlequins)
6 Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning, C)
7 Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier)
8 Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears)
Subs
16 Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning)
17 Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning) (one try)
18 Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning)
19 Louise McMillan (Saracens)
20 Jade Konkel (Harlequins)
21 Caity Mattinson (Ealing Trailfinders)
22 Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears)
23 Lucia Scott (Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury)
Action from the big match is shown, thanks to World Rugby
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