Fran McGhie shines as Scotland hold on to edge out Wales in feisty thriller
Two red cards, six tries, a nip-and-tuck scoreboard and a traditional Scottish deluge falling from the sky. This had pretty much everything and Scotland were the team left standing with a win, but only just, in a pulsating encounter. These sides meet again in August, in Pool B of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, and judging by the skill, physicality and entertainment on show in Edinburgh, that appointment in Salford will be unmissable.
Sarah Bonar, Emma Orr and Leah Bartlett scored tries for Scotland while Helen Nelson kicked a penalty and three conversions – every kick proving important in the final reckoning. Carys Phillips, Abbie Fleming and Gwenllian Pyrs were try-scorers for Wales, who started and finished strongly, but ultimately paid for missing 35 tackles. Credit, too, for the silky attacking skills and forward muscle of Scotland, for whom the wing Fran McGhie was a constant threat.
Sean Lynn, the new Wales head coach, was coming straight off the back off a Premiership victory with Gloucester-Hartpury last Sunday and his new charges began this campaign like champions. Scotland had no possession for the first seven minutes, with Wales working through phases and stretching the home defence with intelligent handling and lines of running.
Their reward was a try for Phillips after four minutes, the front-rower flopping over from short range. Keira Bevan converted and last season’s wooden spoon winners were up and running.
Scotland were pleased to be reacquainted with their old friend, the ball, and McGhie had home supporters on their feet with a thrilling chip and chase down the middle. McGhie’s pace and elusive running was a recurring nightmare for Wales once Scotland established a foothold.
Pressure from the home side steadily built on the visiting defence and Rachel Malcolm, the captain and blindside flanker, looked to have put them in the lead with a well-worked try after a catch-and-drive off a lineout. However, the TMO intervened and the referee, Kat Roche, overruled the score for obstruction in the driving maul.
The Wales tackling had been nothing short of heroic, but their defence was breached three minutes before half-time when Rhona Lloyd made a determined burst on the Scottish left, before Bonar burrowed over from close range when the ball was recycled. Georgia Evans, the Wales No 8, received her first yellow card of the afternoon for collapsing a maul earlier in the move.
Despite that bright start by Wales, by half-time they had made 97 tackles to Scotland’s 74, while Scotland had made 498 attacking metres to 296 for the hosts. Most worryingly for Lynn, perhaps, was that Wales had missed 19 tackles despite their undeniable work-rate.
Sure enough, defensive slackness appeared to have cost Wales when Evie Gallagher went charging through the their line two minutes after half-time following a slick Scottish lineout. It was Lisa Thomson who touched down but again the TMO, Oli Kellett, did not like it: he spotted an obstruction by the openside Rachel McLachlan and another home five-pointer was ruled out.
Not to worry: Scotland had their second try after a ball was hacked into space on their right and McGhie’s pace and work at the breakdown saw the ball pop out, allowing Orr to canter over. Scotland had established a 10-point lead and Wales were soon reduced to 14 again when Evans rushed into a tackle on Chloe Rollie and was shown a second yellow card, meaning a 20-minute red.
Scotland’s Gallagher was sent to the sin bin for dangerous play at a ruck before Fleming’s try, converted by Bevan. The scoreboard read 17-14 with a quarter to play and the rain teeming down.
Gallagher’s yellow card was upgraded to red via a bunker review: “A high degree of danger attacking the lower limb,” Kellett said. Interesting to wonder what Fabien Galthié and Antoine Dupont would make of that after the France men’s captain ruptured knee ligaments against Ireland in a similar incident that went unpunished.
Quick GuideMatch report: Ireland 15-27 France
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France were pushed all the way by Ireland in the Women's Six Nations opener after Gabrielle Vernier was sent off for a high tackle, before a late scoring burst secured victory for Les Bleues in Belfast.
After the Ireland No 8 Aoife Wafer's second try on 66 minutes, Dannah O'Brien's conversion would have levelled at 17-17, but the fly-half's kick strayed wide. Morgane Bourgeois, who kicked 12 points with an immaculate five from five, punished Ireland with a penalty four minutes later before Emilie Boulard's try stretched the visitors' lead to 12 and extinguished Irish hopes.
France also visit Parma and London in three away fixtures in the campaign as they build towards the World Cup later this year, and were seriously tested by Ireland's physicality. Vernier had run a lovely line after six minutes to get France off the mark before Marine Ménager finished off a flowing move 11 minutes later after powerful carries from Charlotte Escudero and Melisande Llorens.
At 14-0, the threat of a rout hung in the air, but the hosts launched themselves into the contest with a crashing short-range score by Wafer on 21 minutes. Vernier was dismissed on 44 minutes after rushing out of the line and smashing head-on-head into Eve Higgins.
A powerful Irish drive culminated in a try for Neve Jones five minutes after the break and Wafer's second, with 14 minutes left, was a similarly well-coordinated shove. A fright for France before decisive late scores by Bourgeois and Boulard.
Ireland's Edel McMahon told the BBC: "There is frustration around the group, because we let that game slip away from us at times, but I'm also incredibly proud of where the girls have come from … We're competing with top-tier nations, we're testing them, we're hard to beat and we're firing shots." Luke McLaughlin
Scotland were undeterred. Orr went scything into space thanks to a stunning offload by Thomson in midfield and then the Scottish forwards took over, Bartlett smashing through the desperate defensive cover on the Welsh line.
A 10-point lead looked defendable with 15 minutes left but Wales, restored to 15 players, were threatening in the final 10 minutes but the home defence held firm.
For the first time in 20 years, Scotland have back-to-back wins against Wales. Scotland go to France next weekend while Wales host England in Cardiff. Neither encounter is likely to be as close, or as thrilling, as this one.