U6N Summer Series: Scotland 29 – 52 Wales match report

Images during the 2025 Six Nations Women’s Summer Series game between Wales v Scotland in the Centre of Sporting Excellence, Caerphilly, Wales, Friday, July 11th, 2025 (Photo by Andrew Dowling / Inpho)

The 52-29 scoreline saw Scotland score three tries in the second half, closing the gap and giving a glimmer of hope for a huge comeback win in the final 10 minutes. But it was snuffed out by the Welsh attack as they scored two tries in the dying embers of the match.

The result leaves Scotland set to play against Ireland in the third and final round, which is set to be played on Thursday 17 July.

Lucy MacRae kicked off for the Scots and her forwards went to work, winning the ball back immediately on the visitors’ 22, earning a penalty. MacRae pointed to the posts and the blue and white were ahead with two minutes on the board. (Scotland 3 – 0 Wales, 2 mins)

Wales won the first scrum penalty of the match on the Scottish 40m line, opting for a lineout set piece. They went through the hands off the lineout, the ball falling at last to full back Mollie Wilkinson, who ghosted through untouched from the 22 to score under the posts. Fly half Hanna Marshall converted with minimal fuss. (Scotland 3 – 7 Wales, 6 mins)

Soon after, Lisa Brown found herself in space on the left touchline, beating one Welsh defender before a slick hand-off pass to Poppy Mellanby. The full back sped inside the Welsh 22, but was caught by a brilliant last-ditch tackle from her opposite number, and was dragged into touch with the try line begging.

The Welsh exited well and countered after a Scottish knock on, first through Wilkinson – then one phase later through winger Seren Singleton, who had a lot of work left to do from the Scottish 40m line. Singleton burst away, winning the foot race and dotting down near the right corner flag. Marshall converted from a tight angle to add the extras. (Scotland 3 – 14 Wales, 11 mins)

Wales were in again six minutes later, off the back of an attacking scrum inside the Scottish 22. Scrum half Sian Jones flicked it off the back to Marshall, who carried well and slipped a pass to Savannah Picton-Powell. The centre burst through the final defenders to crash over on the left-hand side. Marshall’s perfect conversion rate continued as she banged it over. (Scotland 3 – 21 Wales, 18 mins)

Shortly after the water break on 20 minutes, visiting captain Branwen Metcalfe was brought down inside the 22, but wasn’t held and she reacted fastest, to get up and dive over the line, scoring her side’s fourth try. Marshall nailed the conversion to go four from four. (Scotland 3 – 28 Wales, 22 mins)

Scotland chasers did well to pressure a clearing kick on the halfway line, but the Welsh attack was too quick in the counterattack. Jones found Marshall down the blind side and the Welsh went in for what looked to be a fifth try. The referee was called over to the TMO screen though, and Nia Fajeyisan was found to have knocked on in the build-up, saving Scotland’s blushes.

Merryn Gunderson broke the Welsh defensive line with five minutes to play in the half, reaching all the way inside the 22. The home side pushed hard, and Charlotte Russell looked to have punched through and dotted down, but she was held up over the line.

They couldn’t be kept out for long though. From the goal line drop out, Ceitidh Ainsworth fielded and burst through a hole, finding Mellanby on the edge of the 22 – before receiving the ball back off the full back to dot down for Scotland’s first try of the match. MacRae couldn’t add the extras this time. (Scotland 8 – 28 Wales, 37 mins)

Half time: Scotland 8 – 28 Wales

Wales struck first in the second stanza, Rosie Carr pushing well off the back of a lineout drive to dot down on the left-hand side. Marshall’s 100 per cent record off the tee ended, just dragging the conversion wide. (Scotland 8 – 33 Wales, 43 mins)

And Wales were in again off the back of a lineout three minutes later. A penalty for offside gave Wales a lineout on the 5m line. A quick drive ensued before the ball came off the back and to Picton-Powell, who burst through two tackles and crashed over for her second try of the day. Marshall couldn’t add the extras this time. (Scotland 8 – 38 Wales, 46 mins)

Scotland fought back straight away though. A cross-field kick from Mellanby was collected by captain Flynn. It was recycled well inside the 22, and Freya MacColl was the last player in a line of blue shirts on the left. She dotted down by the corner flag and MacRae converted from the touchline. (Scotland 15 – 38 Wales, 49 mins)

Referee Siobhan Daly was called over to the TMO screen for a head-on-head collision, and Wales scrum half Jones was sent to the sin bin for her tackle on Rianna Darroch, with just over 25 minutes to play.

Mellanby made the most of the extra player when she ghosted in for her second try of the match. After a clever intercept from Ainsworth in the midfield, Scotland went side to side before finding Mellanby down the left flank. She skipped through the final would-be tackler, before dotting down under the posts. MacRae added the extras with minimal fuss. (Scotland 22 – 38 Wales, 62 mins)

A penalty for a high tackle gave Scotland the chance to secure a bonus point try, and they kicked to the corner for a rumble at the line. After initially going short side, Emily Love flicked it to the left, and Ainsworth found skipper MacRae – she went even further wide to MacColl to dot down for her second of the match.

Referee Daly was called over to the screen to review the final pass, but it was deemed flat, and the try given. MacRae nailed the extras from the touchline. (Scotland 29 – 38 Wales, 67 mins)

Wales responded well though. Winning a Scotland lineout, they drove inside the 22. After several phases, the ball found its way to Jorja Aiono, who crashed over. Again, the TMO was called in though, and it was found to be held up, with 10 minutes left.

The resulting goal line drop out was countered well by Wales. Fajeyisan got the legs pumping inside the 22, before the ball was flicked to Dali Hopkins, who ran it straight from a couple of metres out – unstoppable, dotting down. Ffion Williams added the extras with eight minutes on the clock. (Scotland 29 – 45 Wales, 72 mins)

Wales added a cherry on their cake by breaching 50 points, as Evie Hill crashed over from close range, scoring Wales’ eighth try. The conversion was knocked over by Williams, bringing the game to a close. (Scotland 29 – 52 Wales, FT)

Full time: Scotland 29 – 52 Wales

Scotland: 15. Poppy Mellanby, 14. Emily Norval, 13. Nicole Flynn – captain, 12. Lucy MacRae, 11. Lisa Brown, 10. Ceitidh Ainsworth, 9. Rianna Darroch; 1. Poppy Fletcher – vice-captain, 2. Aicha Sutcliffe, 3. Eilidh Fleming, 4. Charlotte Russell, 5. Aisha Zameer, 6. Merryn Gunderson, 7. Isobel Twigger, 8. Emily Coubrough

Replacements: 16. Megan Hyland, 17. Kaylee McHugh, 18. Megan Riach, 19. Holly Wilson, 20. Lily Crisp, 21. Emily Love, 22. Holly McIntyre, 23. Freya MacColl.

Wales: 15 Mollie Wilkinson, 14 Seren Singleton, 13 Savannah Picton-Powell, 12 Freya Bell, 11 Nia Fajeyisan, 10 Hanna Marshall, 9 Sian Jones; 1 Stella Orrin, 2 Molly Wakely, 3 Evie Hill, 4 Robyn Davies, 5 Lily Terry, 6 Chiara Pearce, 7 Lottie Buffery-Latham, 8 Branwen Metcalfe – captain

Replacements: 16 Rosie Carr, 17 Dali Hopkins, 18 Lowri Williams, 19 Jorja Aiono, 20 Catrin Stewart, 21 Ffion Williams, 22 Ffion Davies, 23 Hanna Tudor

Referee: Siobhan Daly

Player of the match: Hannah Marshall (WAL)