On a day brimming with drama, records, and redemption, Scotland’s women’s rugby team delivered an emphatic 38-8 victory over Wales in their opening match of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. The contest, played in front of a boisterous crowd of 10,054 in Manchester—a record attendance for a Scotland-Wales women’s fixture—was more than just a pool game. It was a statement, a catharsis, and a showcase of one of the tournament’s rising stars: Francesca McGhie.
Heading into the weekend, both teams were under immense pressure. The stakes? Nothing less than a likely quarterfinal berth. Both Scotland and Wales were expected to dispatch Fiji but face an uphill battle against world number two, Canada. This made their head-to-head clash in Pool B the pivotal fixture—winner in the driver’s seat, loser facing a daunting path forward.
For Scotland, the build-up had been anything but smooth. Player contract uncertainty and off-field distractions threatened to overshadow their preparations. Yet, as soon as the whistle blew, those worries melted away. “We had the mindset that we wanted to start strong and not take our foot off the throttle for the full 80 minutes. That’s the biggest ever differential between Scotland and Wales and to do that in such a high-pressure game as this just shows the character of the team,” Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm told the BBC, referencing the team’s resilience after their heartbreaking late penalty loss to Wales at the 2022 World Cup.
Scotland wasted no time asserting themselves. Just 54 seconds after kickoff, Francesca McGhie was released down the wing by flyhalf Helen Nelson, who had cleaned up a dropped catch. McGhie, who would finish the day with a hat-trick, sprinted in for the opening try, setting the tone for a frenetic, high-paced encounter. “For the last few years I’ve had the image of Keira Bevan kicking that late kick against us at the (2022) World Cup and we just did not want to see anything like that happening again,” Malcolm reflected, her words capturing the emotional undercurrent that fueled Scotland’s performance.
Wales, for their part, found a response. After a superb touch-finder from Lleucu George, the Welsh pack mauled over from a five-meter lineout, with No. 8 Alex Callender dotting down to level the score. But the parity was short-lived. In the 17th minute, McGhie crossed again, exploiting missed tackles and poor Welsh defensive organization. The Scots never looked back from there.
Wales managed to reduce the deficit with a penalty from Keira Bevan, but it was Scotland who finished the half on top. Jasmine Joyce-Butchers provided a spark for Wales with a 40-meter break, but Scotland’s scramble defense and timely turnovers snuffed out any real threat. Just before the break, McGhie’s break from deep set up a sequence that saw the forwards batter the Welsh line before scrumhalf Leia Brebner-Holden sniped over for Scotland’s third try. The halftime score: Scotland 17, Wales 8.
The second half was all Scotland. Within minutes, a charged-down kick gave the Scots another attacking platform, and slick handling in the backs sent McGhie over for her third—her 13th try in just 20 test appearances. That score not only secured the bonus point but also deflated Welsh hopes. “McGhie was always going to beat the last defender,” noted one report, and indeed, the winger’s blend of pace and poise was simply too much for Wales to handle.
Wales coach Sean Lynn, recognizing the need for drastic change, made five substitutions early in the second half, including a completely new front row. The impact, however, was negligible. Scotland’s scrum dominance continued, and a huge shove set up a quick penalty that saw Evie Gallagher, on her World Cup debut, power over for Scotland’s fifth try. To compound Welsh woes, Gwen Crabb was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle, leaving her side a player down at a critical juncture.
As the clock ticked down, Scotland’s hunger for a record margin was palpable. In the 78th minute, Emma Orr crossed for Scotland’s sixth try, a score that was briefly in doubt due to a suspected forward pass but ultimately stood after review. Helen Nelson, steady throughout, slotted four conversions to round out Scotland’s tally.
The final whistle confirmed a 38-8 triumph—Scotland’s largest ever winning margin over Wales in Women’s Rugby World Cup history. The result wasn’t just about numbers; it was about exorcising the ghosts of 2022 and forging a path toward the quarterfinals for the first time since 1998. The emotion was evident, with some Welsh players leaving the field in tears, their hopes of progression now hinging on an upset win over powerhouse Canada.
For Scotland, the win was sweet revenge. Three years prior, a last-minute penalty from Keira Bevan had sent Scotland crashing out of the World Cup. This time, there would be no such heartbreak. Instead, the Scots played with a unity and purpose that belied their off-field distractions. Their set-piece was rock solid, their defense disciplined, and their attack—led by the irrepressible McGhie—clinical.
“Scotland bullied us off the park,” admitted Wales coach Sean Lynn after the match, a candid assessment of a contest that saw his team outclassed in nearly every department. While Wales must regroup quickly for a do-or-die clash with Canada, Scotland will look to carry their momentum into their next fixture against Fiji, eager to make it two wins from two and secure their spot in the knockout rounds.
The victory also capped a remarkable day for the tournament, which saw other standout performances: Canada’s Julia Schell scored six tries in 22 minutes against Fiji, tying for the second most in a World Cup match, while Australia’s Desiree Miller and France’s Joanna Grisez also bagged hat-tricks in their respective matches. But for Scottish fans, the night belonged to McGhie and a team that, after years of heartbreak, finally found its moment in the Manchester spotlight.
With their World Cup campaign off to a flying start, Scotland now turns its focus to Fiji, brimming with belief and determined to keep their foot on the gas. For Wales, the road ahead is steep, but as this tournament has already shown, anything can happen on rugby’s grandest stage.
