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

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the Springboks, who have committed substantial resources to developing the women's game – their leading players were withdrawn from the Inter-Provincial Championship to focus on World Cup preparations – showed the benefit of their time together as they responded with some slick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