Wales got off to a sparkling start, looking dangerous from the off with their set-piece dominance and willingness to play through the backs. Inside five minutes, former captain Carys Phillips went over from short-range to score the opener. Scrum-half Keira Bevan converted the hooker’s try: 0-7.
Scotland met fire with fire, making some searing breaks through likes of winger Francesca McGhie, forcing the visitors to scramble on several occasions. Their most dangerous foray into the Welsh 22 in the first quarter ended with a turnover by Welsh tighthead Jenni Scoble, which would have impressed new head coach Sean Lynn no end.
Fly-half Helen Nelson did manage a penalty in that period to get Scotland on the scoreboard after Wales infringed at the breakdown. A high tackle from Wales then saw Nelson kick to the corner for an attacking lineout. Wales collapsed the subsequent maul, gifting Scotland another maul opportunity, from which they then scored through captain Rachel Malcolm.
Nelson’s conversion from out wide was an impressive one, and gave her team a 10-7 lead.
But, to the audible dismay of the Edinburgh crowd, an important development emerged when the TMO review decided that an obstruction had occurred in the act of Scotland scoring. Try overturned: back to 3-7, and a sigh of relief for Wales.
Bryan Easson’s side went again, but came up against a resolute Welsh defence, for whom number eight Georgia Evans came to the fore in crucial moments. Fullback Jasmine Joyce, famed for her attacking play, proved herself equally adept in defence, winning two penalties in quick succession with her jackalling efforts.
It was the Scots who started the better in the second half, midfielder Emma Orr gathering a loose ball to run in a try, off the back of some fantastic work by McGhie.
Wales’ problems were compounded when Georgia Evans was given a second yellow for a high tackle, resulting in a 20-minute period in which the visitors would go down to 14 players before returning to a full complement.
The playing field was evened out after 50 minutes when Scotland number eight Evie Gallagher was sent to the sin bin – eventually upgraded to a red card – for a dangerous clearout. Wales wasted little time in scoring, a muscular forward effort allowing Abbie Fleming to touch down. Bevan converted well in the pouring rain: 17-14.
Scotland’s attack in the final quarter began to sap the energy from Welsh legs, and a fine switch between midfielders Lisa Thomson and Emma Orr took them right up to the Welsh line, where Lea Bartlett scored from a pick-and-drive. Nelson converted: 24-14.
Patient build-up from Wales from the 70th minute paid dividends as Gwenllian Pyrs scored and Bevan converted to put them within three points of the hosts – and, crucially perhaps, gave them a losing bonus point: 24-21.
What ultimately denied Wales any chance of a comeback was a mounting penalty count in the closing minutes. Scotland managed the game wisely, and in the correct parts of the pitch, to see out a deserved victory.
The victory made it back-to-back Championship wins for Scotland against Wales for the first time in 20 years, and Easson’s side can rightly travel to La Rochelle next weekend full of confidence.
Player of the Match: Helen Nelson. The fly-half's nine points were crucial to Scotland's strong start to the Championship, whilst making more successful tackles (11) than any other back on the pitch.
SCOTLAND: 15 Chloe Rollie (Trailfinders Women); 14 Rhona Lloyd (Les Lionnes du Stade Bordelais); 13 Emma Orr (Bristol Bears), 12 Lisa Thomson (Trailfinders); 11 Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers); 10 Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning) (vice-captain), 9 Leia Brebner-Holden (Loughborough Lightning); 1 Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning), 2 Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears), 3 Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears); 4 Hollie Cunningham (Bristol Bears), 5 Sarah Bonar (Harlequins); 6 Rachel Malcolm (c), 7 Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier), 8 Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears)
Replacements: 16 Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning), 17 Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers), 18 Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning), 19 Adelle Ferrie (Edinburgh Rugby/Corstorphine Cougars), 20 Alex Stewart (Edinburgh Rugby/Corstorphine Cougars), 21 Jade Konkel (Harlequins), 22 Caity Mattinson (Trailfinders Women), 23 Evie Wills (Leicester Tigers)
WALES: 15 Jasmine Joyce (Bristol Bears); 14 Lisa Neumann (Harlequins); 13 Hannah Jones (capt, Gloucester-Hartpury), 12 Kayleigh Powell (Harlequins); 11 Carys Cox (Ealing Trailfinders); 10 Lleucu George (Gloucester-Hartpury), 9 Keira Bevan (Bristol Bears); 1 Maisie Davies (Gwalia Lightning), 2 Carys Phillips (Harlequins), 3 Jenni Scoble (Gwalia Lightning); 4 Abbie Fleming (Harlequins), 5 Alaw Pyrs (Gwalia Lightning); 6 Kate Williams (Gloucester-Hartpury), 7 Bethan Lewis (Gloucester-Hartpury), 8 Georgia Evans (Saracens).
Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), 17 Gwenllian Pyrs (Sale Sharks), 18 Donna Rose (Saracens), 19 Gwen Crabb (Gloucester-Hartpury), 20 Bryonie King (Gwalia Lightning), 21 Meg Davies (Gloucester-Hartpury), 22 Courtney Keight (Bristol Bears), 23 Nel Metcalfe (Gloucester-Hartpury)