Wales break Scottish hearts in Edinburgh encounter

2 months ago 21

Caity Mattison of Scotland juggles the ball as she is tracked by Alex Callender

Wales beat Scotland in last year's Six Nations and at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand

Scotland (10) 22
Tries: Skeldon, Grant, Rollie Cons: Nelson 2 Pens: Nelson
Wales (12) 34
Tries: Tuipulotu 2, Pyrs 2, Lewis Cons: Bevan 2, Snowsill 2 Pens: Snowsill

Wales once again broke Scottish hearts after edging a breathless Edinburgh encounter.

They led from the third minute, with props Sisilia Tuipulotu and Gwenllian Pyrs both crossing twice, with Ffion Lewis adding a late fifth.

Scotland showed plenty of fight with tries from Lana Skeldon, Coreen Grant and Chloe Rollie.

But their losing streak is now extended to 11 games, as Wales celebrate two Six Nations wins from two.

It echoes their start to last year's campaign when they beat the same opposition.

Wales talked about "storming the castle" in the build-up to the game, and it took just three minutes for them to breach the Scottish defence.

A superb Keira Bevan break on her 50th cap sparked a Wales attack which saw Scotland concede a penalty for offside.

Wales kicked to touch, with Scotland expecting Wales' trademark catch and drive, but the visitors opted for an unorthodox training gtound move.

Georgia Evans took the ball cleanly before offloading to player of the match Tuipulotu, who peeled around the front before bulldozing over the wing to celebrate her second try in as many games.

Scotland enjoyed a spell of pressure after the restart and looked dangerous in the wide channels, but Wales defended resolutely before finding themselves back in the Scotland 22.

They won a scrum penalty and kicked for touch, this time they chose to drive for the line, with Sioned Harries crossing from close range.

The conversion was being lined up when referee Maggie Cogger-Orr called play back, and after a lengthy deliberation with television match official Leo Colgan, Harries was deemed to be offside.

Scotland then took advantage of poor Welsh discipline, with Helen Nelson kicking a penalty to get them on the board.

Wales hit straight back from the restart, Kelsey Jones powering through two tackles before finding Elinor Snowsill who fed inside to Harries who made good yards before offloading to Bevan who was brought down short of the line.

Wales showed patience and another prop, this time Pyrs, powered over to extend Wales' lead, with Bevan on target from the tee.

But the visitors were soon back under the cosh and tread a fine line with their discipline, coughing up penalty after penalty despite being on a warning.

Scotland decided to turn down another attempt at posts, with their driving lineout setting up Skeldon's try, her third in three consecutive games against Wales.

Rallied by the 3,000 home crowd, the Scots came close to crossing again, Franscesca McGhie with a dazzling run before being chopped down in some last ditch tackling.

Wales' luck eventually ran out with centre Kerin Lake shown a yellow card for offside. Scotland pushed for a try before half-time, but could not find the overlap and Wales survived.

Sisilia Tuipulotu scores a try for Wales

Sisilia Tuipulotu has scored in two consecutive matches and won player of the match in two consecutive matches

Wales started the second half positively, a charge down by Hannah Jones saw them steal possession and use their powerful forwards to go through the phases before Pyrs crossed.

Bevan added the extras to give Wales a two score lead.

Scotland looked to strike back straight away with Wales once again penalised, Snowsill with a high challenge to gift the hosts a driving lineout.

Wales initially kept them out, but Scotland used their player advantage and found a hole in the defence with Grant coming off her wing to cross under the posts to give Nelson an straight-forward conversion.

Momentum was soon back with Wales, their big ball carriers barnstorming their way into Scotland's twenty-two, and nothing could be done to stop the raw power of teenager Tuipulotu once the line was in her sight.

The game continued to hang in the balance as both sides began to introduce their impact players, and it was Scotland who came again, their exciting full-back Rollie showing lightning feet and speed to get on the outside Lisa Neumann and step Courtney Keight.

Nelson's conversion drifted across the face of the posts as Wales' retained their slender lead.

Wales came again in the final 10 minutes and it was route one again, the forwards edging their way to the try-line before Scotland conceded a penalty, which Snowsill decided to slot over to steady the ship.

A frantic five minutes were expected to follow, but Wales showed good game management, and it was replacement scrum-half Lewis who came to haunt the Scots again, crossing for Wales' fifth try in the dying minutes, just like she did in Cardiff last year.

Scotland: C Rollie, C Grant, E Orr, M Smith, F McGhie, H Nelson, C Mattinson; L Bartlett, L Skeldon, C Belisle, L O'Donnell, L McMillan, R Malcolm, R McLachlan, E Gallagher.

Replacements: J Rettie, A Young, E Clarke, E Donaldson, E Sinclair, M McDonald, B Blacklock, L Musgrove.

Wales: C Keight; L Neumann, H Jones (capt), K Lake, C Williams-Morris; E Snowsill, K Bevan; G Pyrs, K Jones, S Tuipulotu, A Fleming, G Evans, B Lewis, A Callender, S Harries.

Replacements: C Phillips, C Hope, C Hale, N John, K Williams, F Lewis, R Wilkins, H Bluck.