Scotland Women 40 – 14 Wales Women

Scotland started off their road to the 2025 World Cup with a convincing win against old foes Wales, with six tries contributing to a 40-14 win. Here are some of the key takeaways from the match.

Statement win and performance for Scotland

The 40 points scored by Scotland in this match was the most they have ever scored against Wales, and the most against a current Six Nations team this century. It was a genuinely authoritative performance, especially in the second half.

This wasn’t quite full-strength Wales, but the size of the victory still made it stand out. Some of the opposition were young and inexperienced, but Wales started with several first-choice players, including both props, Jaz Joyce, Kerin Lake and the excellent Keira Bevan, plus the experience of Robyn Wilkins, Gwen Crabb, Alisha Butchers and Lleucu George on the bench. Yes, probably their most abrasive forwards in Alex Callendar, Georgia Evans and Kelsey Jones were absent but it is doubtful even players of their quality would have made up over 25 points of difference.

Scotland did a fantastic job of dominating territory and possession. One stated work-on was to be less easily turned over, and they looked after the ball well whilst still playing attractive and entertaining attacking rugby. Although occasionally they were a little frenetic first half, their ruck speed seemed significantly improved from the Six Nations and this meant they were constantly testing the Welsh line, with the fluidity and speed in their attack leading to either full or partial line breaks, or full speed, purposeful carries.

It gave the feeling that Scotland were very much on the front foot in attack almost any time they had on the ball. The main worry in the first half was that momentum didn’t become points, with some chances going awry: two tries held up (credit to some excellent last-ditch defence from Wales) and another try ruled out for obstruction.

This cost them in the Six Nations, in particular missing out on a bonus point against Italy, and there was a real worry at half-time that it might be the same story.

Perhaps the most pleasing thing from this game is how Scotland patiently stuck to what was working and when the breaks came in the second half, they made sure they counted more often than not.

Defence was also excellent, and again this was partially why Wales seemed to have such little territory and possession. Although Wales got the odd line break here and there, it rarely came to much and Wales often were left with little way through, except a kick which could be quickly mopped up.

Their first try came from a trademark, super sharp, Keira Bevan tap and go, and their second was when the game was long gone as a contest and when Scotland were a player down as Elliann Clarke received attention for a head injury.

Bar one driving maul, the visitors had little opportunity. Scotland seemed to be going for fewer jackal turnovers at the breakdown but their immense organisation, work rate and cohesiveness in defence just smothered the life out of any Wales attack, especially one without George’s more inventive and lengthy kicking game on show.

It really did feel like Scotland clicked in most facets of the game. There was the odd lineout mishap, but it was also noticeable how much they were risking throws to the tail or trying more complicated moves to give themselves as much advantage as they could.

The scrum held up brilliantly against Pyrs and Tuipulotu, who are two of the best scrummagers in the women’s game. And fitness levels and work rate looked excellent.

All of this bodes well for the next few games as they seek to defend their WXV 2 title and build towards the Six Nations and World Cup next year.

Smith shines in second half

Meryl Smith was excellent throughout the game, and was one of the most eye-catching alongside Evie Gallagher, Lana Skeldon and Emma Orr in the first half, but the second half may have been her best half yet in a Scotland shirt.

The standout moment was the clever wee crosskick to find space for Chloe Rollie for her second try. Not only was it a great game read, it was perfectly weighted to give Rollie the best angle for one of her mazy runs.

Another moment of brilliance was the smart cut-back line to score her own try, one of several barrelling runs dotted through the match, and she was unlucky not to score a try in the first half through the same approach.

She was a key part of the kicking plan that kept Wales pinned back and under pressure often in the tramlines, and her kicking to touch was consistently solid. One kicking battle gave Scotland about a 50-metre gain with two well placed kicks and it helped create the game narrative of Scotland’s control. She made good choices as to whether to run, pass or kick and was key in helping Scotland to go wider consistently quickly in the second half, blending really well with Helen Nelson, Orr and the back three.  She doesn’t always get the opportunity to put her stamp on a game, but she showed some of her potential as Scotland ran away with it in the second half.

Four, or more, into three doesn’t go

We’ve been saying over the last couple of years how Scotland’s strength in depth has improved and for the most part that has meant that there is virtually no drop off from the first XV to the next in the position, so there were fewer worries if one of the mainstays got injured. But it’s now pretty hard to say who that first choice XV actually is.

The exception, maybe, is the front row, where you’d say the experienced trio of Bartlett, Skeldon and Belisle would expect to start, with another excellent group to come off the bench without standards dropping, but at lock, in the back row, in the back three, I genuinely am not sure I could say for certain who our ‘first choice’ is right now.

The most interesting dilemma is possibly in the 10, 12, 13 midfield axis. Although there are other strong candidates for selection when everyone is fit, including Beth Blacklock and Evie Wills, we’re probably looking at three from Nelson, Smith, Lisa Thomson and Orr. 

Let’s assume Orr is undroppable at the moment, but then who could you really leave out from the other three?

I’m not wholly convinced that the way to include them all is to move Smith back to 15, as although she was good there earlier in the year, we didn’t get nearly as much out of her – and Chloe Rollie looks back to her defender-swerving best against Wales.

Nelson is such a good combination with either Smith and Thomson at 12 and was excellent from the tee.

The dual playmaker approach with Smith works so well, but then are also games where Thomson’s barnstorming carrying and mighty boot is really needed.

It gives the coaches options depending on the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses, and in the short term, perhaps Smith’s versatility will mean her impact is from the bench. But I would also be curious to see Smith given the keys at 10 against the Fijiana, with Thomson outside her and see what that combination looks like too.

Debutants shine

That strength in depth keeps growing with really good debut performances from Leia Brebner-Holden and Lucia Scott, both who had opportunities coming through the Six Nations U20 tournament in the summer, and Brebner-Holden also impressing for Edinburgh in the Celtic Challenge.

Brebner-Holden kept up the pace of the game and her passing from the ruck was so swift and accurate and she always seemed to choose the right option to ensure the attack was full of momentum right through the second half which in turn gave Nelson and Smith the platform to excel.

There have been suggestions from the coaches that her box-kicking has a bit to improve on to get to the standard of Caity Mattinson and Mairi McDonald but she is part of the Gloucester-Hartpury squad with the legendary Mo Hunt to learn from, and it seems likely she’s be the full package very soon and challenging the more established 9s for the starting role.

Scott also looked very composed, passing a high ball test early on, and then willing to come up into the line and take up a play-making role when needed. There was an excellent kick chase on a long kick after a turnover and then helped effect a further turnover to help Scotland steal territory the length of the pitch, leading directly to the second McGhie try.

Scott was the assist-provider for the try. She probably could have made it to the try line herself, but had the awareness that her teammate was better placed and calmly drew the defender and put the pass away perfectly.

A word for Emma Wassell

As I was writing up this piece, the news came out that Emma Wassell needs surgery on a tumour in her chest, another horrible life event for Wassell to deal with this year.

There are so many things that make this Scotland team so brilliant to support. The players have shown so many times how they can fight through adversity, how they are beacons of positivity, how much they have each others’ backs, and they genuinely are an inspirational group. Few epitomise this as much as Emma Wassell.

Not just a complete lineout queen, one of the standouts in women’s rugby in her position, but a total warrior who played her first 40 odd caps without missing a single one, and for nearly all that time doing this while qualifying and working as an accountant; finding a way to be an international star on top of a full time, demanding job.

Interviews with her are always a joy to watch, warm and hilarious. She’ll be missed so much by fans and the team, both on and off the pitch, and hopefully her recovery will go as smoothly as possible and we’ll have her back in 2025 stronger than ever. All of us here at the Scottish Rugby Blog send her our best wishes.

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