Scotland Women 12 - 41 Wales: Defensive failings cost Scots dear

Scotland Women went down to their second defeat of the Six Nations yesterday at Burnbrae against their Welsh counterparts.

Although there were positives to take from the second-half showing, the Scots know that their defence and discipline has to markedly improve.

The visitors, who had pushed England hard the previous week, all but had the match wrapped up by the break, streaking into a 26-0 lead. The Scots did score two tries after the interval, but still went down to an emphatic defeat.

Scotland prop Heather Lockhart said: "We started the match pretty well, but we were punished by two sin-binnings and our first up defence wasn't good enough and that allowed Wales to take control.

"In the second half we showed glimpses of what we can do and the backs looked dangerous with ball in hand. We now have a fortnight until our next match and we have to really work hard on our defence and build on the good things that we are doing."

After a fast-paced start by both sides Wales took a 6-0 lead out of the first quarter when full-back Aimee Young slotted two penalties. In the 24th minute Scotland had prop Beth Dickens yellow carded and while she was off Wales scored their first try. It came from centre Elen Evans after good work from her pack and when Scotland scrum-half Louise Dalgliesh was sin-binned before the break after persistent infringement by the hosts Wales capitalised.

Evans scored two more tries, the pick of them when she ran in from 25 metres out after a great run by hooker Rhian Bowden, before both wingers - Charlie Murray and Caryl James - got in on the scoring act to put Wales 35-0 up in the second half.

Replacement Tracy Balmer went over for a Scotland try that was converted by full-back Caroline Collie and second-row Lindsay Wheeler touched down when Wales had James in the sin-bin. However, the visitors had the last word when Kerin Lake who had come off the bench scored a try on her debut.

Elsewhere, France beat Ireland 14-12 and England sank Italy 68-5.

Scorers: Scotland Women: Tries: Balmer, Wheeler. Con: Collie. Wales Women: Tries: Evans 3, Murray, James, Lake. Pens: Young 3. Con: Young.

Scotland Women: C Collie (OA Saints); S Johnston (Hillhead/Jordanhill), A Sergeant (Dundee University), L Martin, K Green (both Murrayfield Wanderers); T Griffith, L Dalgliesh (both RHC Cougars); H Lockhart, L Smith (both Hillhead/Jordanhill), B Dickens (Murrayfield Wanderers), K Muir (RAF), L Wheeler (Darlington Mowden Sharks), C Veale (Wasps), S Brown (Richmond), R Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers).Subs: A MacDonald (RHC Cougars), T Balmer (Worcester), A Swan, R Murphy (both Edinburgh University), J Forsyth (Hillhead/Jordanhill), V Blakebrough (Richmond), L Harris (Aberdeenshire Quines).

Wales Women: A Young; C Murray, A Taviner, E Evans, C James; E Snowsill, A Day; J Davies, R Bowden, C Edwards, A Rowlands, S Powell Hughes, L Newton, J Kift, S Harries. Subs: L Harries, C Thomas, V Owens, S Williams, L Prosser, A Thomas, K Lake, A Lawrence.