Scotland proved far too strong for Wales in the most significant game of the opening weekend of the Women’s Rugby World Cup to take a sizeable step towards qualification for the quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.
These two nations have been involved in some thrilling and nail-biting encounters in recent years, but Scotland were far too strong. This had all the hallmarks of an early sudden-death with the winners tipped to qualify from Pool B with Canada and potentially set up a last-eight meeting with England.
Scotland were far superior, with Francesca McGhie scoring a wonderful hat-trick to seal a comfortable bonus-point victory and send a strong statement about their hopes over the coming weeks. Wales, meanwhile, will probably need to beat Canada and Fiji to secure qualification.
The opening 40 minutes were certainly compelling and Scotland had a nine-point advantage at the interval. That was just about right given they had enjoyed the greater moments in attack and the superiority on the gainline. They took the lead after 55 seconds when some fine play down the left freed McGhie.
Wales responded to that early setback well and nine minutes later they were level as Alex Callender drove over the line with the rolling maul too strong for the defence.
Scotland continued to improve as the half wore on, with more excellent handling sending McGhie over for her second, before a penalty from the boot of Keira Bevan narrowed the deficit to two points.
Seven minutes from the break, Scotland opened up a two-score lead. They broke in midfield and while the defence scrambled back to halt that break the Scotland attack remained patient. Several plays later, they took advantage when Leia Brebner-Holden crossed, with Helen Nelson’s goal making it 17-8.
Wales could have little complaint about that, but you felt they had to score first after the restart to remain in contention. However, it was their opponents who once again began a half with greater superiority and they scored in almost identical fashion, with McGhie completing her hat-trick after a fine break down the left.
after newsletter promotion
With Nelson converting again, a vital game was threatening to spiral out of Wales’s grasp. If matters could not get much worse, Gwen Crabb was sent to the sin-bin shortly after McGhie’s hat-trick, but to their credit they did survive that 10-minute period without the lock.
Within a minute of Crabb returning, Scotland flexed their muscles once again as Evie Gallagher powered her way over from close range after another penalty. With the defence visibly exhausted, Scotland confirmed their biggest victory against Wales as Emma Orr crossed in the final minute.
