Scotland Edges Wales in Cardiff Thriller to Cap Dramatic Women's Six Nations Opening Round

The Principality Stadium witnessed sporting theatre at its finest on Saturday as Wales and Scotland served up a Women's Six Nations thriller that will be remembered long after the final whistle. In the end, it was Scotland who escaped with a hard-fought victory, breaking Welsh hearts seven minutes into stoppage time with a comeback win that had looked unlikely for much of the afternoon.

The 10,569 supporters in attendance witnessed a match worthy of the grand stage, though the attendance fell short of what such a spectacle deserved given the 12,000 capacity at the nearby Cardiff Arms Park and the 33,000-seater Cardiff City Stadium nearby. The Welsh Rugby Union has committed to growing the women's game at the national stadium, hosting at least one match there each season, but the question of whether larger venues might serve the product better remains open.

The game featured sensational tries, dramatic momentum swings, and late controversy when Wales fumbled a lineout deep in their own territory as they pushed for a match-winning score. Some observers believed Wales should have been awarded a penalty for a deliberate knock-on in the same passage of play.

Wales head coach Sean Lynn was proud of his side's improvement from their disappointing World Cup showing. The fight and the character those girls showed at the end, to be playing phase after phase from their own try line, is what we have been going after, Lynn said. The improvement from the World Cup to where we are now is clear to see.

Scotland's Sione Fukofuka, in his first match as head coach since his December appointment, saw his side dig deep to secure victory. Fly-half Helen Nelson, named player of the match, said the squad had limited preparation time but gelled quickly. It has been a fast pre-season with 12 days together, but we focused on building connections off the pitch and showing that on the field.

The result handed Scotland their first win under Fukofuka and provided a memorable start to round one.

England set the tone earlier in the day, drawing a Women's Six Nations record crowd of 77,120 to Twickenham for their 33-12 victory over Ireland. France currently sit top of the table on points difference after an impressive second-half showing against Italy and travel to Cardiff Arms Park for round two, where two of three stands are already sold out.