It looked like England opened the scores early doors after earning a lineout just shy of Scotland’s five metre line. The pack mauled over and the try was initially given, with Lia Green’s conversion going begging. After the kick, the officiating team reviewed the maul, and found Tyla Shirley clearly obstructing, taking the score back to 0-0.

The following exchanges really saw Scotland dominating play as England haemorrhaged penalties, especially in the scrum, where Scotland flexed their strength. However, the Scots attacking strides fell short twice of a score inside England’s 22.

After 20 tense minutes with no scores, England sparked into life but Charlotte Russell was quick with the steal inside Scotland’s 22. Nicole Flynn and Emily Norval broke away but the ball was lost in the contact. After a successful English scrum, they used their runners to gain ground and soon, Joia Bennett was over the line. After review from the TMO for double movement the try was given. Green’s conversion was successful (7-0, 26 mins).

Scotland responded well, forcing more penalties from an ill-disciplined England side, but a missed kick to touch from Rianna Darroch let England counter, and Scotland were then caught offside. England then found themselves with a line out on the five metre line, and they looked to use their maul to power over, but the ball was held up. After much TMO review, Poppy Fletcher’s boots were to thank for the save. England regained possession from the goal line drop out, and quickly, Grace Clifford powered over. Green’s conversion went begging (12-0, 34 mins).

On the 30^th minute, after some confusing dialogue between the referee, Chloe Pelle and her TMO, Flynn was shown a yellow card for tackling Mille Hyett, who was carrying at the time but was deemed to be causing a deliberate knock on. After lengthy consideration over whether a penalty try should be given, it was deemed it should not be.

But their chance soon came, again from a rolling maul at a line out. The English maul was powerful, and they were not able to ground from there, the ball sprung out and was dotted down. There was again, considerable break in play with the match official and TMO deliberating on whether the try would be given and eventually it was. Green was unable to add the extras (17-0, 32 mins).

England looked to quickly be back on the rampage but captain, Gunderson put in the tastiest of tap tackles to fore a knock on and earn Scotland a scrum. With the scrum holding firm, Holly McIntyre and Emily Norval lit up the right wing, with Norval adding a lovely chip, but it just bounce out, but still gave Scotland a line out. The line out was taken well by Russell and after several phases with England caught offside, Scotland earned advantage and play brought back for another line out.

Gunderson carried the ball hard to the try line, falling just short before Eilidh Flemming looked to be over for Scotland’s first try. The referee wanted to consult the TMO yet again, believing the ball was held up. The TMO agreed and Scotland’s chance for five points went begging.

But their time would come. After Lisa Brown gathered well from the England restart, the forwards fought hard to get over the gain line, and earned yet another penalty with England offside. Scotland’s pack continued to trundle forward, breaking down the defence, before Darroch found Lucy MacRae, who put in a crossfield kick of dreams, to find Holly McIntyre who stepped around the defence to soar across the whitewash. MacRae’s kick had the legs but went to the right of the posts (17-5, 39 mins).

Whilst the first half was restarted, it was quickly concluded when Norval’s chip found touch. Scotland were firmly in the fight.

Half-time: England 17 – 5 Scotland

Scotland made three changes to start the second half started, with Gemma Thomson and Holly Wilson coming on for Gunderson and Aisha Zameer. In the backs, Rebekah Douglas replaced Darroch at scrum-half and Poppy Mellanby was brought on for Brown.

The opening exchanges were broken, with neither side really able to get foothold. But after a few minutes of testing Scotland’s defence, England’s Amelia MacDougall broke free and scored under the sticks. Green added the extras (24-5, 50 mins).

Shortly after, Dalgliesh made a series of further changes, bringing Kaylee McHugh, Faye Sutherland and Megan Hyland on for Fletcher, Fleming and Sutcliffe, who had all had a strong game.

With fresh legs, it was time for Scotland to strike. The new front-row held firm in Scotland’s scrum, with the ball finding the backs and eventually speedster, Norval who broke down the wing. After several phases using the pack, Ceitidh Ainsworth ran a looping arch, finding Norval who expertly evaded the touch line to down in Duhan like fashion for Scotland’s third try. Ainsworth was unable to add the extras (24-10, 58 mins).

England had a fairly immediate response, pressing on Scotland’s attack, with winger Molly Luthayi intercepting the ball and scoring. Green’s conversion was successful (31-10, 61 mins).

A final change was made for Scotland, with Freya MacColl entering the fray for the last 15 minutes, and she very quickly made her presence known.

Scotland worked excellently stealing at the line out inside their own 22, before the ball zipped through the hands of the back line to find MacColl, who’s excellent reading of the game to chip saw Mellanby turn on the jets to gather and score under the sticks. MacRae added the extras to narrow the deficit (31-17, 73 mins).

Whilst England searched for more, in the final two minutes of the match, Hyland and Flynn both held their opposition up over the line, and McHugh held up a final try in what would come to be the last phase of play.

Full-time: England 31 – 17 Scotland

Scotland: 15. Nicole Flynn – Vice-captain 14. Emily Norval 13. Holly McIntyre 12. Lucy MacRae 11. Lisa Brown 10. Ceitidh Ainsworth 9. Rianna Darroch 1. Poppy Fletcher 2. Aicha Sutcliffe 3. Eilidh Fleming 4. Charlotte Russell 5. Aisha Zameer 6. Lily Crisp 7. Isobel Twigger 8. Merryn Gunderson – Captain
Replacements: 16. Megan Hyland 17. Kaylee McHugh 18. Faye Sutherland 19. Holly Wilson 20. Gemma Thomson 21. Rebekah Douglas 22. Poppy Mellanby 23. Freya MacColl

England: 15. Lia Green 14. Sophie Hopkins 13. Millie Hyett 12. Molly Bunker 11. Molly Luthayi 10. Amelia MacDougall 9. Ashton Adcock 1. Amelia Williams 2. Lucy Simpson 3. Grace Clifford 4. Tyla Shirley 5. Lucy Finch 6. Maddy Page 7. Joia Bennett 8. Annabel Meta
Replacements: 16. Lucy Calladine 17. Chloe Flanagan 18. Lilly Plowman 19. Jasmine Adonri 20. Sophie McQueen 21. Poppy Love 22. Ella Cromack 23. Millie David

Referee: Chloe Pelle