Scotland have had a difficult but encouraging first few games of this year’s TikTok Women’s Six Nations campaign, going into round four as fifth in the table. They have shown flashes of excellence and long stretches of strength in all three fixtures so far. 

The team has demonstrated their defensive efforts throughout the tournament, with Evie Gallagher making the most tackles of any player in the tournament (55), Lana Skeldon second (54), and Rachel Malcolm fourth (48). However, it’s not just in defence where Scottish players have shown what they are capable of: Helen Nelson has kicked the second most metres (796), and Caity Mattinson has made the third most passes (190), while Chloe Rollie has the second best metres made (366) as well as the second most defenders beaten (18), and won try of the week in round two. 

Against world number one, undefeated England, Scotland showed glimpses of variety in attack. They got close to England’s tryline several times, and Chloe Rollie’s try was both well-worked and well-deserved. 

The Wales game was an eight-try thriller that was anyone’s game until the final minutes. A penalty from Helen Nelson and a try from Lana Skeldon meant it was 10-12 to the visitors at halftime. In the second half, Wales came out strong, and  outstanding tries from Coreen Grant and Chloe Rollie weren’t enough. The Scots were unlucky to concede another try in the last few minutes to make the score 22-34.

France, world number 3 and also undefeated this year, were successful in shutting down the Scottish attack but couldn’t prevent some moments of magic. Particularly in the first half, Scotland showed just how strongly they can defend, with France having to work extremely hard for all three of their tries. It was 17-0 at halftime and looked fairly even on the field, but France came out on excellent form against a hard-working Scotland in the second half. 

Upcoming Italy are a fast, dynamic team and their game against Scotland is sure to be an exciting one.   Last year, Scotland came away from Italy with a losing bonus point from a riveting fixture, and they’ll be hoping to go one better and get the win at DAM Health Stadium. Italy has beaten only Ireland this year, with a low-scoring battle for forty minutes that meant it was only 7-0 at halftime. In the second half, Italy showed their flair and the fixture ended 24-7. 

Captain Rachel Malcolm looks to the challenge: “Italy’s strength as a team is their ability to attack from anywhere on the pitch, and keep the ball alive at every opportunity.”

The final game of Scotland’s TikTok Women’s Six Nations campaign will be a close encounter, with plenty of recent history to spice it up. All three of Scotland’s games against Ireland this decade have been won and lost by four points or fewer. (15-14, 20-18, 18-14).

Scotland scuppered Ireland’s dreams of going to the Rugby World Cup with a last-gasp try from Chloe Rollie and a conversion from Sarah Law, showing controlled game management and cool heads. The Scots will benefit from experience in New Zealand that Ireland missed out on, with close games against Wales and Australia, plus the opportunity to play eventual winners New Zealand. 

Tickets for both fixtures are still available! £15 for adults, £10 for students, £5 for under 18s, and under 12s go FREE with a paying adult. 

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