Scotland Women set for Spanish showdown

Scotland Women will take on their Spanish counterparts for a place at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 in Ireland. Spain Women were crowned winners of the Rugby Europe Women’s Championship at the weekend to set up a World Cup qualifying showdown against the Scots.They will meet in a home and away play-off in November with fixture details to be announced.The sides met in Madrid last year in a non-capped match where Scotland Women claimed a 34-10 victory to round off a ten-day training camp in Valladolid, Spain.Spain’s 35-7 defeat of the Netherlands in the final of the Championship will not impact their World Rugby ranking of ninth, meaning they are still higher than Scotland at 13th.Las Leonas made their intentions clear from the off against the Netherlands, scoring a 12th-minute try through inside centre Maria Bravo.Despite their hard-working and dominant pack providing plenty of front foot ball, Spain’s backs were unable to penetrate the resolute Dutch defence and the score remained 5-0 at half-time.Doubles from Maria Bravo and Jeanina Vinueza finally saw them convert their dominance into points in front of 3,500 partisan fans in Madrid.Vinueza, a 33rd minute replacement, was able to double Spain’s lead when she touched down for their second try three minutes after the re-start from the back of an unstoppable rolling maul.Two Patricia Garcia penalties put further daylight between the teams before Bravo and Vinueza grabbed their second tries. With the two extra points for the conversion added on each occasion, Spain led 30-0.Netherlands scored a consolation try 10 minutes from time when Shereza Pool took advantage of some slack defending, but number eight Angela del Pan ensured Spain had the final word.