Scotland player ratings vs Wales | Women’s Six Nations 2026

It went down to the wire, but Wales were unable to land what could’ve been a match-winning try against Scotland well into extra time. In the end Scotland walked away 24-19 winners in Sione Fukofuka’s debut as the Thistles head coach.

It was Scotland’s fifth straight victory against Wales, kicking off their campaign successfully thanks to Helen Nelson pulling the strings and Meryl Smith creating magic out of nowhere.

Here are the Scotland player ratings from round one of the Women’s Six Nations.

1. Leah Bartlett – 5

Not the best of outings for the experienced loosehead prop, as Bartlett was sent to the sin-bin for collapsing a Welsh driving maul before the 15th-minute mark. Despite a few scrummaging woes, the Sale Sharks prop put in a massive shift to clinch a sensational scrum penalty before the break.

2. Lana Skeldon – 5

A mixed bag for the veteran hooker. While the Scottish lineout functioned most of the time, it ended up spoiling some crucial opportunities to score with Skeldon missing two throws near the Welsh try line and penalised for a dummy throw. Nonetheless, her relentless mindset was on point, fighting as hard as she could to counter the Welsh ball carriers.

3. Elliann Clarke – 6

Looked far better than her front-row partners, making good ground in her carries while working well around the breakdown and in the contact line.

4. Hollie Cunningham – 5

With the Scottish set-piece looking far from their best, Cunningham worked tirelessly in the lineout and breakdown.

5. Emma Wassell – 7

Wassell’s experience was worth its weight in gold, with the lock making several off-the-ball key actions to keep Scotland in the fight, especially when the host side was looking to expand their lead.

While her side’s lineout went through a troubling afternoon, Wassell was one of the few who seemed settled and able to keep her wits about her until the end.

6. Rachel Malcolm – 8

As a defensive operator, the Scottish skipper was everywhere, tackling Welsh players left and right and quickly getting back on her feet to redeploy. In the end, Malcolm claimed 10 successful tackles, one turnover, and a lineout steal, in another quiet but stellar performance from the Scottish legend.

7. Alex Stewart – 7

Just like her captain, Stewart was a ferocious beast on the loose, prowling and catching Welsh runners before they had a chance to strike, while giving her all in the breakdown battle. Finished the game with no gas left in the tank.

8. Emily Coubrough – 6

Not the Test match debut that the young Scottish number eight was hoping for, as she was outmatched and outmuscled by the Welsh forward pack. The 19-year-old lost track of Sisilia Tuipulotu, allowing the rampaging Welsh tighthead to dive over the Scottish try-area, missing two more key tackles that gave the opposition a way into the Scottish defence.

9. Leia Brebner-Holden – 6

While her connection with Helen Nelson was overall positive, the lack of pace and unpredictability in the ruck was noted, helping Wales quickly adapt and guess Scotland’s attacking patterns.

Improved her performance in the second half, looking more energised and lively.

10. Helen Nelson – 9

One of the few bright lights on a rather uninspired afternoon for the Scottish visitors, Nelson was class for her team, creating more than a few great passages of play and punting some top-notch kicks, one of which led to Shona Campbell’s try.

Her calmness under the high ball was inspiring, as she safely regathered several Welsh kicks to keep her team in the game when the momentum was swinging against them. Pulled off a sensational jackal and was near perfect in her tee duties, missing only one conversion in five attempts.

11. Shona Campbell – 7

A few knock-ons, two line breaks, a miss pass and a few opportunities to plunder the Welsh defence, the electric Shona Campbell still put out a well-rounded performance to help Scotland clinch the win.

Scored her side’s second try, reading a deep kick well and reacting quickest, gathering the ball to rush in unopposed over Wales’ line.

12. Meryl Smith – 8

Clinical crosskick to assist Lucia Scott for Scotland’s third finish, Smith was pivotal in her side’s victory. Her role as a defensive player was instrumental in helping Scotland maintain their ground when Wales were close to breaking through, with Smith consistently pressuring the opposition into making the wrong decision.

13. Emma Orr – 7

Tremendous line break to set up her side’s opening try, the Bristol Bears centre acted like a wrecking ball, cracking open the Welsh defence time and time again.

Unfortunately, Orr’s afternoon ended with a sour taste, as the elusive centre was forced to come off due to a leg injury.

14. Rhona Lloyd – 7.5

A winger doesn’t need to score tries to be invaluable for her team, and Lloyd’s performance is a perfect example of that. While she only enjoyed 21 running metres, her work as a supporting unit was key to helping Scotland score their first try, assisting with Chloe Rollie’s 27th for her country.

Adding to that, Lloyd played a somewhat important role as a tackler, denying a Welsh try by holding up a player before they had a chance to ground the ball.

15. Chloe Rollie – 7.5

Scored Scotland’s first try of the campaign, while looking composed and collected when the opposition sent some threatening kicks her way. While Wales’ Kayleigh Powell stole the show in the battle of the full backs, Rollie’s input burnt like a never-ending fire, helping her side claim another great win in Cardiff.

Fixture

Womens Six Nations

Scotland Women

05:30

18 Apr 26

England Women

All Stats and Data

REPLACEMENTS

16. Elis Martin – N/A

17. Demi Swann – 5

Kept a tidy scrum and still had time to clinch eight successful tackles in under 18 minutes. However, her yellow card in the dying minutes could’ve proven costly if Wales had found a way to make something of the opportunity.

18. Molly Poolman – N/A

19. Holland Bogan– 6

Put in a handful of tackles and a successful jackal that led to Scotland’s third try.

20. Eva Donaldson– 6

Made several tackles in under nine minutes, making a big impact coming off the bench.

21. Rianna Darroch – N/A

22. Evie Wills – 5

Didn’t get any opportunity to stand out or display her abilities, but she remained solid within Scotland’s defensive approach.

23. Lucia Scott – 6

Pragmatic and precise, Scott displayed awesome skill to catch a pinpoint cross field kick at full tilt, and side step the defence to score the try that ultimately earned Scotland the win.