‘We know we can beat them’: Scotland in ‘fuel’ vow for Australia rematches in WXV Global Series

McLachlan made her comeback from injury as Scotland lost 30-10 at home to the Aussies on Saturday.

The hosts were the better team in the first half and had led 10-5 at the interval but they conceded 25 unanswered points after the break to fall to their third successive loss in the WXV Global Series. It’s now seven defeats in a row for Scotland Women in all competitions.

They will have the chance to avenge Saturday’s loss soon enough, taking on Australia at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, October 17 and again at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Friday, October 23.

“Listen, we're all frustrated,” McLachlan said. “We all want more. We all know we're better.”

The Edinburgh-born flanker was making her first appearance of the WXV Global Series after recovering from a torn calf. While pleased to be back, it was an ultimately disappointing afternoon for the Montpellier back-rower and she hopes the team can use it as motivation.

Two cracks in Australia

“It's definitely fuel,” she said. “I think that's the frustration because we know we can beat them. We know we can beat a team like that.

“We showed that for large parts of the game. It's just about going out now and all of us knowing what we want to do and having two cracks at that in Aus.”

She added: “I think we know we're better than that [Saturday]. I think we know that we can close out games like that. I think the first half was class.

“There were discipline errors and stuff like that we can definitely pick up on, but, yeah, I thought it was frustrating we couldn't continue that for the full 80 and I think everyone will agree with that.”

Scotland conceded 15 penalties to Australia’s eight and had influential forward Evie Gallagher yellow-carded early in the second half. The Wallaroos scored 12 points while Gallagher was in the sin-bin to seize control of the game.