Scotland Edges Wales In Cardiff Classic As Women Six Nations Delivers Thrilling Opening Weekend

If the opening weekend of the 2026 Women Six Nations promised spectacle, it delivered in extraordinary fashion at the Principality Stadium on Saturday. Wales and Scotland produced a contest that will long be remembered as one of the great matches in the history of this fixture, with drama, stunning tries, and heartbreak all bundled into 80 pulsating minutes.

Wales were seconds away from a famous victory. Seven minutes past the full 80, Scotland somehow got the decisive score to snatch the win, breaking Welsh hearts in front of their own supporters. The Principality Stadium, a venue synonymous with historic rugby moments, witnessed one more to add to the collection.

The 10,569 attendance set a new record for a Wales versus Scotland women fixture on Welsh soil, though the crowd noise inside the 74,500-capacity arena could not reach the levels a smaller, full stadium would have generated. The Welsh Rugby Union has committed to growing the women game and Saturday was evidence of the ambition, even if voices within the game argue the team would be better served at venues such as Cardiff Arms Park or the Cardiff City Stadium for years to come.

Wales head coach Sean Lynn said afterwards that the character shown by his players in the dying moments, defending their own try line under immense pressure, was exactly what he has been working to build since taking charge. It was a performance that bore little resemblance to their disappointing Rugby World Cup showing, and Lynn was quick to praise the growth he is seeing in his squad.

Scotland new head coach Sione Fukofuka, in his first match since appointment in December, saw his side come through a proper examination. Fly-half Helen Nelson, named player of the match, said the squad had only 12 days together in pre-season but were able to dig deep when it mattered most.

The result aside, the bigger picture for the weekend was the rising profile of the women game. England set a new Women Six Nations attendance record with 77,120 at Twickenham for their 33-12 victory over Ireland, underlining the momentum building around the sport. France currently sit top of the table on points difference after an impressive win over Italy and travel to Cardiff this weekend as heavy favourites.