Following on from the 23-6 defeat of Scotland in this season’s Six Nations campaign, Wales Women were again victorious over the fellow home nation to set up a semi-final clash with France Women on Tuesday.
Non Evans opened the scoring in the second quarter of this quarter-final game with a penalty but Wales stretched their lead as half time approached with captain Mel Berry crossing the line for her initial try of the match on 34 minutes. The conversion went amiss but Berry pushed her side into a commanding lead on the stroke of half-time with her second try in six minutes, Evans converting this time to put Wales 15-0 ahead at the interval.
Scotland Women rallied after the restart with replacement Louise Dalgliesh slotting a penalty goal between the uprights. This was quickly followed by a Scottish try, prop Heather Lockhart powering over the whitewash. Dalgliesh’s conversion took the Scots to within an unconverted score of Wales at 15-10.
However, the Welsh scoring resumed with Berry claiming her hat-trick on 63 minutes. Evans missed the conversion but made amends for the error as she gained try number four for Wales just minutes later. She duly converted her own effort for a 27-10 lead and ultimate victory, as Wales held off their opponents in the final ten minutes of the clash.
Wales now face France Women in the semi-final on Tuesday evening (kick-off 20:00 local time), after Les Bleus knocked out host nation the Netherlands 24-3.
Wales Women Head Coach Jason Lewis commented: “There are no easy games in the European Championships, it is virtually a repeat of the 6 Nations, the opportunity for us is to show all the other competing nations that Wales can consistently compete with the best in Europe.
“We face France on Tuesday; the real challenge will be our ability to recover between games, three games in ten days is a tough challenge.”
Scorers
Wales Women:
Tries: Mel Berry (3), Non Evans
Pen: Non Evans
Cons: Non Evans (2)
Scotland Women:
Try: Heather Lockhart
Pen: Louise Dalgliesh
Con: Louise Dalgliesh
Wales Women: Aimee Young; Non Evans, Heledd Stephens, Clare Fowers, Louise Rickard; Naomi Thomas, Laura Prosser; Ruth Evans, Jamie Kift, Claire Horgan, Rachel Taylor, Gemma Hallett, Catrina Nicholas, Mellissa Berry (Captain), Carys John
Replacements: Louise Horgan, Hannah Roberts, Becky Newton, Rhian Bowden, Claire Donovan, Amy Day, Awen Thomas
Scotland Women: Lucy Millard; Tanya Griffith, Veronica Fitzpatrick, Suzi Newton, Kara D’Silva; Erin Kerr, Sarah Gill; Heather Lockhart, Sarah-Louise Walker, Beth Dickens, Jilly McCord (Captain), Lyndsay Wheeler, Louise Moffat, Lynn Reid, Keri Holdsworth
Replacements: Joan Hutchinson, Louise Forsyth, Alex Pratt, Ruth Scavan, Louise Dalgliesh, Lyndsey Douglas, Julie Sanaghan, Ellen Beattie
