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Australia clinched the WXV2 title in a thrilling 31-22 victory over Scotland in Cape Town, in a match that saw Scotland fall just short of defending their crown.
The Wallaroos stormed into a commanding 21-point lead with tries from Desiree Miller, Maya Stewart, and Cecilia Smith, capitalizing on Scotland’s early handling errors. Despite the deficit, Scotland responded before halftime with tries from Leah Bartlett and Chloe Rollie, narrowing the gap to 21-12 at the break.
Scotland’s hopes surged in the second half when Anne Young powered over, bringing them within four points. However, a red card for Emma Orr following a head-to-head tackle put Scotland at a numerical disadvantage. Francesca McGhie briefly gave Scotland the lead, but was later sin-binned, leaving her side down to 13 players for the final minutes.
Faitala Moleka’s crucial penalty and a last-minute try from Ashley Marsters sealed Australia’s win and the title.
Scotland head coach Bryan Easson reflected on the performance, saying, “We came back into the game, but losing a couple of players was difficult for us… Congratulations to Australia.” Captain Rachel Malcolm added, “We could have had that game put away well before those cards came into play… I’m really proud of the fight.”
Australia’s clinical edge and disciplined kicking from Moleka ultimately proved decisive in this gripping encounter.
