• Women’s rugby union: Australia 38-31 Scotland

• Cecilia Smith ‘sorry’ for red card on final Wallaroos game

The Wallaroos completed their three-game sweep over Scotland with a 38-31 win on Friday in a spicy contest that featured biting accusations and a string of yellow cards.

Australia produced plenty of classy moments in Canberrabut again lacked discipline in tackles and around the ruck to keep the tourists in it. The hosts received four yellow cards, with the retiring centre Cecilia Smith earning two of those to finish her 34-Test career on a red.

The Scots could collect the wooden spoon a year after their historic World Cup run. Why has progress stalled so dramatically?

Is it a World Cup hangover? Or a growing injury list? Or something else? These are the questions Scotland supporters are asking themselves in the midst of a disappointing Women’s Six Nations. This was a tournament where legends such as Donna Kennedy were hoping for a third-place finish; the fact the team could end up with the wooden spoon is staggering, especially considering their historic World Cup run last year.

Scotland reached the last eight for the first time since 2002 and did so in convincing fashion. They defeated Fiji, their win over Wales was dominant and they challenged Canada, the eventual runners-up, in their final pool match. They were blown away by England in the quarter-final but it was nonetheless a successful campaign. The tournament’s end brought a close to Bryan Easson’s time in charge of the team and a whole new coaching staff were employed.

• Scotland 7-84 England

• Red Roses in unstoppable mood at Murrayfield

The fortress walls of Murrayfield were finally at Scotland women’s disposal for their first standalone game but England rocked its foundations with a statement performance where fans were left questioning if the world champions had injury problems at all.

The 30,498 crowd was a record attendance for a women’s solo sporting event in Scotland but they were shocked into silence after the hosts failed to live up to the occasion. Scotland were poor, particularly in defence, as England ran riot, with 12 tries and scoring the most points they have against their old rivals since their 89-0 result back in 2011. If Scotland turn up in Italy next week in the same form, Fabio Roselli’s team will be licking their lips.

Women’s Six Nations updates, 1.30pm BST kick-off
Scotland ready for Murrayfield landmark | Mail Daniel

Really looking forward to seeing how Short, on debut at 6, gets on.

Murrayfield is bathed in beautiful sunshine. The crowd is buzzing. All the ingredients there. Can the players deliver?

Scotland’s tournament was overshadowed by off-field uncertainty but, says former international Beth Blacklock, the future is looking brighter

“There were players who were definitely struggling,” says the former Scotland international Beth Blacklock of the contract uncertainty that surrounded the squad before their run to the 2025 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.

In pre-World Cup camps talks were taking place between players and the Scottish Rugby Union. Some of the 32-player squad had deals that ran until May 2026 but the rest of the team had arrangements that ended in October after the World Cup had concluded.

Wales and Scotland produced drama at the Principality Stadium while England and Ireland drew a record crowd as the tournament began at major venues

Sporting theatre reached Shakespearean heights at the Principality Stadium on Saturday as Wales and Scotland produced the best match of the opening Women’s Six Nations weekend. Welsh hearts broke seven minutes past the full 80 as Scotland managed to get a comeback win over the line. The fixture had sensational tries and late drama, and played out on BBC Two. The only thing missing was the type of crowd that such a thriller deserved.

Wales hosted the game at the national stadium, the only one taking place there during this year’s tournament, watched by 10,569 supporters. The number is a record for a fixture between the two teams in Wales but if it had been held next door at Cardiff Arms Park, which has an official capacity of just over 12,000, or at Cardiff City Stadium, which holds about 33,000 and is hosting Wales men v Fiji in July, the atmosphere would have translated better to the players as well as to those watching at home.

World champions England will be favourites to repeat last year’s grand slam but France and Ireland will eye an upset

Coach John Mitchell Captain Meg Jones Last year’s finish Grand slam champions