Australia's women's rugby team closed out a three-match series against Scotland with a 38-31 victory in Canberra on Friday, completing a clean sweep after earlier wins in Sydney and Edinburgh. The Wallaroos scored six tries in a match that also brought a string of disciplinary problems, with the hosts shown four yellow cards, according to The Guardian.
The occasion doubled as a farewell for two long-serving players. Centre Cecilia Smith and former captain Emily Chancellor both retired after the game, and Smith's exit came in unusual circumstances: having already spent time in the sin bin, she was sent off and left the field to a standing ovation from the home crowd.
Why it matters
The result gives Australia a third straight win over Scotland and sends the squad into its next phase on a positive note. The Wallaroos will not play again until the programme moves to a full-time setup next year under new head coach Sione Fukofuka, who has previously coached Scotland. The Guardian reports that the team is now out of action until that transition is complete.
For Smith and Chancellor, the match marked the end of international careers that spanned significant periods for the Australian side. Chancellor, a two-time World Cup representative who debuted in 2018, finished with 42 caps. Smith's career ended at 34 Tests.
Australia build a lead, then lose it
The Wallaroos started strongly and moved 14-0 ahead, but a run of penalties against them allowed Scotland to score three tries in succession and turn the game around. Australia went into half-time trailing 17-14.
Among those penalised was teenage fly-half Waiaria Ellis, who was sent to the sin bin late in the first half for slowing down a Scottish attack. Prop Eva Karpani was also shown a yellow card for a high tackle in her 50th appearance for Australia.
Australia recovered after the break and pulled clear at 38-24 when captain Siokapesi Palu finished a try that began deep in her own half. The hosts then lost Karpani and Smith to the bin and the dismissal respectively, and Scotland took advantage to close the gap. The tourists had a final opportunity to level the scores with a converted try on the last play but could not convert it.
The Guardian described the match as a spicy contest that also included accusations of biting. Australia's attacking play produced several high-quality passages, but the report noted that poor discipline in the tackle and at the breakdown repeatedly gave Scotland a route back into the game.
A send-off with a smile
Smith, who was shown a second yellow and therefore a red, was smiling as she left the pitch. Speaking after the match while holding her daughter, Ruby, she apologised for the dismissal and said she had wanted to finish her career in memorable fashion.
Smith said her daughter had been present throughout her career, at training sessions, camps and on the sideline, and that she hoped to serve as a role model by showing what can be achieved through commitment and hard work.
Chancellor was visibly emotional as she reflected on her time in the side. She said the game had given her purpose and opportunities, including the chance to travel the world alongside teammates she cares about. She also spoke about visibility in the sport, saying that young people cannot aspire to something they never see.
The Canberra Times framed the match as the end of an era for the Wallaroos pair, while RUGBY.com.au described Scotland as vastly improved and Australia as having survived a serious challenge to send the two players out in style. The BBC reported that Australia came from behind to beat Scotland for the second time in the series.
What to watch
Australia's next appearance will come under Fukofuka, whose appointment marks the start of a full-time professional structure for the Wallaroos. The discipline issues that kept Scotland in Friday's match are likely to be a focus for the new coaching staff before the side returns to action.
