Francesca McGhie scores the winning try against Ireland. Image: © Craig Watson.
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STUART BATHGATE @ Hive Stadium
SCOTLAND saved the best until last in this game – and arguably in this year’s Six Nations. With time running out against Ireland, and having had both Rhona Lloyd and Helen Nelson sin-binned in an attritional second half, they might have been tempted to settle for a 19-19 draw.
Instead, they went in for the kill – and were rewarded when, after a penalty had been sent to touch on the right, Francesca McGhie squeezed in at the left corner for the winning score. Nelson’s conversion ended a game which Ireland had dominated for long spells without ever getting wholly on top of proceedings.
After also beating Wales but losing to France, Italy and England, Scotland can finish no higher than fourth in this year’s Championship, and could drop to fifth if Italy beat the Welsh today. Nonetheless, with the World Cup now just a few months away, the important thing is that the team are now clearly heading in the right direction again after appearing to have stagnated in some of their previous outings – most notably the home defeat by the Italians in round three.
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“That heart, that fight, that defensive effort was just phenomenal,” head coach Bryan Easson said. “We just kept coming back at them.
“This group are not just going to accept a draw. That last ten minutes was just phenomenal. I’m proud beyond words.”
Ireland drew first blood when a counter-attack down the left ended with winger Amee-Leigh Costigan finishing off in the corner and Dannah O’Brien converted. Scotland slowly edged their way into the contest after that setback, however, and opened their account after 25 minutes when Lana Skeldon finished off from a lineout maul. Nelson’s conversion attempt drifted wide of the far post.
The home defence had a lot of work to do after that, and they did it exceptionally well, repelling wave after wave of attacks. Ellian Clarke and Lisa Thomson both held Irish drives up over the line, then just as the half looked like ending with Ireland two points to the good, Scotland struck.
Sarah Bonar intercepted then kicked ahead, and Lloyd kicked on again, only for Ireland to recover close to their own line. However, O’Brien’s clearance went no further than Chloe Rollie, the full-back launched the counter, and after a couple of phases Emma Orr sliced through to score. Nelson converted to make it 12-7 at the break.
Ireland drew level after 50 minutes when prop Linda Djougang finished off after heavy pressure, and Lloyd saw yellow for a head-on-head tackle on Costigan in the build-up. But then, not far short of the hour mark, it was Scotland who looked like they had the extra player when Rachel McLachlan scored in the left corner from a Rollie offload.
Nelson added the extras again to make it 19-12, but that narrow lead began to look ominously vulnerable when the stand-off went to the sin bin with just over ten minutes to go after sticking a hand in a ruck. Ireland capitalised quickly when replacement scrum-half Emily Lane darted through a gap in the defence at a breakdown, and O’Brien’s conversion drew her team level.
However, as the game entered its final few minutes, Scotland began to assert themselves anew. A draw began to seem the most likely result – but then Ireland conceded a penalty. Thomson sent it to touch, and Nelson came back on just before the lineout on the right. Play swept left, and McGhie had just enough space to score in the corner, with Nelson’s conversion ending the match.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the bravery shown by every single person who took to the pitch,” captain Rachel Malcolm said. “Pretty much everyone outside our walls thought we were going to lose that game – but not a single person in our circle thought that.”
Ireland coach Scott Bemand has made serious improvements to his team since taking charge, but he admitted they were lacking in one crucial element of their play today. “We’ve had possession pressure, territory pressure, entries into 22 pressure, linebreak pressure – and the thing we haven’t done is convert that pressure into enough points,” he said. “At this level when you get opportunities, you’ve got to take them – and there were plenty of opportunities to take.”
Teams –
Scotland: C Rollie; R Lloyd (L Scott 59), E Orr, L Thomson, F McGhie; H Nelson, L Brebner-Holden; L Bartlett (A Young 46), L Skeldon (E Martin 64), E Clarke (M Poolman 64), J Konkel, S Bonar, R Malcolm (captain), R McLachlan, E Gallagher.
Ireland: A Corey; V Elmes Kinlan (S Flood 47), A Dalton, E Breen (E Higgins 39), A Costigan; D O’Brien, M Scuffil-McCabe (E Lane 64); N O’Dowd (S McGrath temp rep 8-18, 64), N Jones (C Moloney 64), L Djougang (C Haney 64), R Campbell, F Tuite, D Wall (C Boles 18), E McMahon (captain; J Clohessy 22), B Hogan.
Referee: Natarsha Ganley (New Zealand).
Scorers –
Scotland: Tries: Skeldon, Orr, McLachlan, McGhie. Cons: Nelson 3.
Ireland: Tries: Costigan, Djougang, Lane. Cons: O’Brien 2.
Scoring sequence (Scotland first): 0-5; 0-7; 5-7; 10-7; 12-7 (h-t) 12-12; 17-12; 19-12; 19-17; 19-19; 24-19; 26-19.
Yellow cards –
Scotland: Lloyd (48 mins), Nelson (69 mins).
Attendance: 6,375.
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