Match Report: Scotland 10-30 Australia
26 Sep 2026Scotland Women put in an improved showing against Australia in the final home Vodafone Scotland WXV Series match of the year, but it was the visitors who ran out comfortable winners in the end.
Scotland led at half-time, but three rapid-fire tries after the interval put paid to their chances of beating an opposition that they now travel to face twice in October.
Head coach Dave Butcher made a number of alterations to his squad from the week before and it was one of those fresh faces, Hannah Ramsay, who was in the thick of the early action, scrambling to thwart an Australian attack before showing good awareness with a neat one-two up the right touchline with Rhona Lloyd.
From the next phase, a penalty was awarded for offside and from the resulting line-out, the hosts sought a way through, only to be foiled by their own knock-on.
Still, the early antipodean ascendancy had lessened and Scotland’s line-out was functioning nicely as both sides played with an intensity that highlighted the significance of this result, with two Tests in Sydney and Canberra to follow in October.
Scotland’s breakthrough came in the 14th minute after another attacking lineout – Rachel Malcolm seemed to pouch everything she needed to all afternoon – when Evie Gallagher scored a carbon copy of her two close-range tries last weekend against New Zealand. Helen Nelson slotted the extras with ease (7-0, 16 mins).
After a delay for an injury to Australia full-back Caitlyn Halse, Scotland picked up where they left off with Meryl Smith’s sumptuous grubber through chased down by, it sounded like, half of Hive Stadium. It went dead for a line-out in the Aussie 22 and they cleared their lines, but the visitors were hemmed in right where they didn’t want to be.
From the next Wallaroo transgression, again for offside, Scotland eschewed the chance at an easy three points and again went for the line, only to have their set-piece spoiled.
It took to near enough the half-hour mark for Australia to enjoy any form of territorial experience and when they did, a wonderful rip at a line-out from Bogan halted any advances. The industrious second row repeated the trick moments later, only for play to be called back for a collapsed line-out on the Scots’ part.
The dam eventually burst and in some style as winger Desiree Miller finished off in the left corner after a peach of a looped ball from stand-off Waiaria Ellis had found Georgina Friedrichs (7-5, 34 mins).
The hosts hit back two minutes later, and at an important time in the context of the game, when Nelson landed a mid-range penalty after the Wallaroos had held on in the tackle (10-7, 36 mins).
Half-time: Scotland 10-7 Australia
Visiting captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona thought she had thundered over at the start of the second half, but referee Aurélie Groizeleau and her team correctly chopped it off for crossing.
Either side were guilty of being a bit rough around the edges at ruck time, exchanging numerous penalties for either not releasing or holding on.
And it was from one of those penalties that Australia took the lead. Having kicked to touch, they rumbled towards the try line and scrum-half Samantha Wood was the most alert to pounce, converting her own score into the bargain (10-12, 50 mins). Evie Gallagher received a yellow card for her part in a maul collapse in the build-up.
With Scotland’s talismanic number 8 in the sin bin, the Wallaroos sensed a game shift and they extended their lead with a bit of a runaway try from loosehead prop Brianna Hay, with Wood’s extras taking it to a nine-point game (10-19, 56 mins).
Delight turned to delirium for the Aussie sin the stands as, straight from kick-off, Wallaroos winger Miller hared up the left touchline, evading and breaking tackles, before centre Faitala Moleka eased over (10-24, 57 mins).
Having been spurned on a number of occasions in search of a fourth try in only 10 minutes, Australia kept their lead ticking along when Wood clipped over an easy three (10-27, 66 mins).
When Wood slotted her second penalty of the day, after yet another offside in the game, the 20-point lead finally put the game out of Scotland’s reach (10-30, 76 mins).
Full-time: Scotland 10-30 Australia
Scotland: Hannah Ramsay (Edinburgh Rugby), Rhona Lloyd (Sale Sharks), Evie Wills (Glasgow Warriors), Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears), Shona Campbell (Sale Sharks); Helen Nelson (Trailfinders), Ceitidh Ainsworth (Glasgow Warriors); Anne Young (Glasgow Warriors), Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears), Elliann Clarke (Glasgow Warriors), Holland Bogan (Glasgow Warriors), Sarah Bonar (Harlequins), Rachel Malcolm (Captain) (Trailfinders), Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier), Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears).
Replacements: Aicha Sutcliffe (Glasgow Warriors) (for Skeldon, 58 mins), Leah Bartlett (Sale Sharks) (for Young, 70 mins), Molly Poolman (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Clarke 56 mins), Hollie Cunningham (Bristol Bears) (for Bonar, 51 mins), Eva Donaldson (Sale Sharks) (for McLachlan, 48 mins), Leah Brebner-Holden (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Ainsworth, 48 mins), Katie Buchanan (Exeter Chiefs) (for Campbell, 58 mins), Chloe Rollie (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Wills, 60 mins).
Australia: Caitlyn Halse, Amelia Whitaker, Georgina Friedrichs, Faitala Moleka, Desiree Miller; Waiaria Ellis, Samantha Wood; Brianna Hay, Brittany Merlo, Faliki Pohiva, Kaitlin Leaney, Michaela Leonard, Pia Tapsell, Piper Duck, Siokapesi Palu Sekona (captain).
Replacements: Tania Naden, Martha Fua, Bridie O’Gorman, Jemma Bemrose, Emily Chancellor, Lily Bone, Tia Hinds, Ava Wereta.
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR)
Assistant Referees: Bérénice Loubet and Alexandra Ferré (both FFR)
Television Match Official: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Fair Play Review Officer: Paul Haycock (IRFU)
Attendance: 3,191
Vodafone Player of the Match: Faitala Moleka (Australia)
