Scotland secured a dramatic late win over Ireland to round off their 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign at Hive on Saturday.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Vicky Elmes Kinlan touched down over the whitewash. Stand-off Dannah O’Brien’s conversion from out wide was successful.
The Scots responded when Lana Skeldon found second row Sarah Bonar in the lineout and the pack mauled forward to allow Skeldon to secure the try.The conversion was unsuccessful.
Scotland took the lead when outside centre Emma Orr raced in for their second try of the afternoon. Stand-off Helen Nelson’s conversion was successful made it 12-7 at the break.
After the restart the visitors levelled the score when prop Linda Djougang touched down with O’Brien converting once again to make it 12-all.
In the process of that try Scotland winger Rhona Lloyd was shown a yellow card and Scotland were reduced to 14 players.
Near the hour mark flanker Rachel McLachlan ran in only her second try in 51 games for her country. Nelson once again added the extra two points on offer from the try line to extend Scotland’s lead by seven points.
With 15-minutes left in the game Scotland’s discipline slipped and a yellow card, unfortunately that was shown to Scotland stand-off Nelson.
Ireland then drew level in the 75th minute thanks to a try from replacement back Emily Lane with O’Brien converting to make it 19-all.
In what would be the final play of the game Scotland opted to kick their penalty to touch instead of taking the three points on offer.
They backed themselves and it paid off, from the lineout, the ball worked its way to the far side for winger Francesca McGhie to dive over to win the game from Scotland, with Nelson adding the extra two points.
Full-time: Scotland 26-19 Ireland
Scotland: Chloe Rollie (Trailfinders Women), Rhona Lloyd (Les Lionnes de Bordelais), Emma Orr (Bristol Bears), Lisa Thomson (Trailfinders Women), Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers), Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning), Leia-Brebner-Holden (Loughborough Lightning); Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers), Lana Skeldon, Elliann Clarke, (Bristol Bears), Jade Konkel, Sarah Bonar (both Harlequins), Rachel Malcolm (captain) (unattached), Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier), Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears).
Replacements: Elis Martin (on for Skeldon, 63 mins), Anne Young (both Loughborough Lightning) (for Bartlett, 45 mins), Molly Poolman (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonians FC) (on for Clarke, on 63), Becky Boyd (Loughborough Lightning), (Gemma Bell (Gloucester-Hartpury/Hartpury University), Rhea Clarke (Edinburgh Rugby/Edinburgh University), Evie Wills (Leicester Tigers), Lucia Scott (Gloucester-Hartpury/Hartpury University) (for Lloyd, 58 mins)
Ireland: Aoife Corey; Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Aoife Dalton, Enya Breen, Amee-Leigh Costigan; Dannah O’Brien, Molly Scuffil-McCabe; Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang, Ruth Campbell, Fiona Tuite, Dorothy Wall, Edel McMahon, Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: Cliodhna Moloney, Sadhbh McGrath, Christy Haney, Jane Clohessy, Claire Boles, Emily Lane, Eve Higgins, Stacey Flood.
Referee: Natarsha Ganley (NZR)
Assistant Referee 1: Holly Wood (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU)
TMO: Dan Jones (RFU)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Attendance: 6,375
Guinness Player of the Match: Rachel McLachlan (Scotland)
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
