Scotland start World Cup campaign in style as Francesca McGhie shines against Wales

Dubbed a de-facto decider even in the first game of the group, a galvanised Scotland were given the perfect start by McGhie, who crossed in the first minute.

Wales responded well through Alex Callender, but Scotland dominated from there on with two more scores from McGhie, as well as tries from Leia Brebner-Holden, Evie Gallagher and Emma Orr.

The result means Scotland can go into their next match against Fiji next Saturday with confidence, while Wales have to try and beat world number two Canada to likely keep their hopes of progressing alive.

Scotland needed just 55 seconds to break the deadlock. As the Welsh defence froze when Lana Skeldon could not hold a pass, Helen Nelson reacted quickest, scooping up the loose ball before sending McGhie away.

She had the pace to get around Jasmine Joyce, which very few people do, and went over within a minute of her World Cup debut. Helen Nelson could not convert from out wide.

After that early highlight, Emma Wassell was temporarily forced off just two minutes in with a potential broken nose.

The lock was making a remarkable comeback to the World Cup stage as Saturday’s match marked the one-year anniversary since she was admitted to hospital with what turned out to be a 27cm tumour in her chest.

She was able to return to the pitch, but in the meantime, Wales recovered from that early setback and drew level just before the quarter-hour.

It came from their first real opportunity as co-captain Callender emerged from a dominant rolling maul, but Wales could not take the lead as Keira Bevan’s conversion attempt stayed just wide.

Don’t give space to McGhie

Back came Scotland immediately, and after forward pressure, the ball was spread wide to the left once again for McGhie.

She is not a player you want to give space to, and yet she had the freedom of Salford to dive over for her second of the half. Nelson was closer with her second conversion attempt but still off-target.

The pressure was heaped onto those misses as Bevan chose to kick for goal, slotting three points, before Joyce was given her chance to run at the Scotland defence, who were able to win a crucial penalty.

With the sense of opportunity palpable in the air, Brebner-Holden went over for Scotland to move her side further ahead as Nelson finally kicked a conversion to open a nine-point lead.

Nel Metcalfe delivered a glorious run as space seemed to open up for her before she was hauled down, and Wales could not take advantage of a resulting penalty.

Wales continued to search for a second with the clock moving into the red, but Scotland stood firm and forced Courtney Keight over the touchline to hold a 17-8 advantage at the break.

McGhie wrapped up her hat-trick almost immediately on the return from the changing rooms, although scoring 148 seconds after the restart looked practically pedestrian for the young star.

This time, she linked up with her fellow wing Rhona Lloyd before crossing, and Nelson was able to add the extras to give Scotland some breathing room.

It led to them looking to slow the game down, even though there was ample time for a Welsh comeback.

However, as Wales were doing well to combat Scotland’s advances, Gwen Crabb was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle to add player-advantage to the list of ways Scotland were on top.

Scotland chose not to kick the penalty, a sign of their belief in their defence, but they were not able to add to their quartet of tries as Nelson sent the kick long.

With Crabb off the field, Wales were galvanised as they won a scrum penalty, before Keight put in a barnstorming run, but she lacked support and the attack fizzled out with the ball turned over.

Crabb returned to the field, but this time Scotland won the penalty at the scrum, and they took their opportunity.

Gallagher flew over off the back of a clever move by Scotland, with Nelson nailing the conversion from in front of the posts to leave Wales a mountain to climb and dwindling time to do it.

The gloss was put on a certain victory with two minutes to go as Orr twirled her way over the try line for a mammoth victory.

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