Again, Tuipulotu spurred Wales. Following a long series of line-out drives and pick-and-go carries, the 20-year-old tighthead shunted over on the phase after a tap penalty. Bevan’s conversion closed the gap to 17-13. Scotland lost both Lana Skeldon and Sarah Bonar to apparently serious injuries, but a scrum offence from Wales let the nerveless Nelson split the uprights again.
Seven points behind, with four minutes remaining, Wales rallied one last time. From an offside penalty, they went to their maul. Stewart stopped it illegally, and was sent to the sin bin. At the next attempt, following a number of television replays, it was ruled that Callender had stretched over the whitewash and dotted down. With Bevan off the field, though, George’s kick faded across the posts.
With the clock in the red, debutant Sian Jones endeavoured to hoist a box-kick for her colleagues to chase. But it was hooked out on the full, to the elation of Scotland. “This is a team full of special people,” beamed Malcolm, whose charges now host France.
In the day’s other match Les Bleus ran out 38-17 winners over Ireland. The hosts ran in five tries, they rarely hit top gears but earned the bonus-point as early as the 61st minute. Tries from Aoife Wafer and Aoife Dalton were consolation for the visitors who were much-improved and will be looking for a win on Easter Sunday when they host Italy.
Match details
Wales: J Hesketh; J Joyce, H Jones, K Lake, N Metcalfe (C Cox, 54); L George, K Bevan (S Jones, 74); G Pyrs, K Jones (C Phillips, 67), S Tuipulotu (D Rose, 67), N John (G Evans, 40), A Fleming, A Butchers (K Williams, 62), A Callender, B Lewis Replacements not used: A Constable, N Terry
Scotland: M Smith (C Rollie, 76); R Lloyd, E Orr, L Thomson, C Grant; H Nelson, C Mattinson; L Bartlett (M Wright, 75), L Skeldon (E Martin, 62), C Belisle (E Clarke, 60), E Wassell, S Bonar (L McMillan, 69), R Malcolm, A Stewart, E Gallagher Replacements not used: M McDonald, S Campbell
Scoring: 3-0 Bevan penalty, 3-5 Grant try, 3-7 Nelson conversion, 3-10 Nelson penalty, 6-10 Bevan penalty, 6-15 Lloyd try, 6-17 Nelson, 11-17 Tuipulotu try, 13-17 Bevan conversion, 13-20 Nelson penalty, 18-20 Callender try
Referee: Clara Munarini (Italy)
Attendance: 5,965
Yellow card: Stewart, 78