Spain 5 - 24 Scotland: Winning start for Scots women

Scotland got their 2017/18 campaign off to a flying start in Madrid yesterday when they defeated the hosts 24-5, writes Gary Heatly.

Scotland's Rhona Lloyd scored a try against Spain. Picture: Paul Devlin/SNS/SRU

The match was a non-cap clash, but it was still an important outing and allowed head coach Shade Munro to assess where his squad is at.

Munro, pictured, also took the chance to try out a couple of things, switching No 8 Jade Konkel to loosehead prop and skipper
Lisa Martin from centre to scrum-half.

Scotland got off to a good start and had lots of possession in the Spanish 22, but just could not get the breakthrough.

It did come in the 11th minute though when winger Rhona Lloyd touched down for an unconverted try.

Spain then woke themselves up and, in front of a healthy home crowd, got themselves back into things with an unconverted try of their own.

That was in the 37th minute, but the resolve the current Scotland side have built up came through two minutes later when centre Lisa Thomson went over for her side’s second try. Hooker Lana Skeldon converted.

After the break there were regular changes on both sides, but Scotland remained on top.

Once again they had a lot of possession, but often the final pass went astray and they still need to work on being more clinical.

However, the clinching try came in the 59th minute when, after a good run by Thomson, second-row Deborah McCormack went over for the unconverted score.

And Scotland put the icing on the cake of this pleasing performance when centre Hannah Smith managed to grab try number four in the closing minutes. Replacement Helen Nelson converted to round off a positive afternoon’s work.

Scotland are next in action in a training match with Wales at Oriam in a fortnight.