Scotland Women 8 - 27 South Africa Women: Mistakes costly for rusty Scots

Published on Monday 7 June 2010 00:41

SCOTLAND women's coach Gary Parker blamed lack of match fitness for his side's defeat at Lasswade on Saturday in the first of two World Cup warm-up matches against South Africa.

• Scotland's Susie Brown finds her progress halted during a tough encounter with South Africa Pic PA

Reflecting on a committed but error-strewn performance, Parker said: "We made too many mistakes against a very physical South African side.

"They have just had a training camp and they've played against Kazakhstan. Our girls looked like a team that hadn't played for two-and-a-half months."

The Scots got off to a perfect start and an offence from the kick-off allowed Nicola Halfpenny to kick the first points of the game.

However, the Springboks, who have committed substantial resources to developing the women's game – their leading players were withdrawn from the Inter-Provincial Championship to focus on World Cup preparations – showed the benefit of their time together as they responded with some slick handling in a flurry of attacks.

Nevertheless, the Scottish defence, epitomised by a particularly heroic effort from Suzie Brown, held firm and it took a penalty by Yolanda Meiring for the visitors to square matters.

South Africa's incessant pressure eventually paid off when Namhla Siyolo powered over from a close range scrum to give her side an 8-3 lead at the break.

A try by Mandisa Williams extended the lead shortly after the restart before Lucy Millard responded with a dazzling run that saw her tear through the heart of the opposition and sprint over to touch down.

Hopes of a fightback were extinguished when Lorinda Brown raced onto a chip ahead for a converted try and Zenay Jordaan rounded off the win with a self-converted score.

However, the Scots finished with a flourish and the visitors were forced to offend to prevent the hosts from adding to their tally – and they ended the match with two players in the sin bin.

The sides will meet again at the same venue on Saturday.

Scorers. Scotland Women: Try: Millard. Pen: Halfpenny. South Africa Women: Tries: Siyolo, Williams, Brown, Z Jordaan. Cons: Meiring, Z Jordaan. Pen: Meiring.

Scotland Women: N Halfpenny; C Hawthorn, L Millard, V Fitzpatrick (S Johnston 74), L Douglas; T Griffith (E Kerr 53), L Dalgleish (S Gill 64); H Lockhart, S Walker (A MacDonald 74), G McCord, M Napier (B Dickens 43), L Moffat, L Reid (R Slaven 64), D Kennedy (L Gray 67), S Brown.

South Africa Women: Y Meiring (Z Nojoko 76); M Jordaan (D Scheepers 53), C Kayser, L Brown, P Gadu; Z Jordaan, S Booysen (C Roberts 79); N Botha (P Jonga 74), D Sidumba (N Poswa), C Kula, N Booi, D Mavumengwana, L Momoti (N Faleni 62), M Williams, N Siyolo.

Referee: C Daniels