The Wallaroos completed their three-game sweep over Scotland with a 38-31 win on Friday in a spicy contest that featured biting accusations and a string of yellow cards. Australia produced plenty of classy moments in Canberrabut again lacked discipline in tackles and around the ruck to keep the tourists in it. The hosts received four yellow cards, with the retiring centre Cecilia Smith earning two of those to finish her 34-Test career on a red.
Scotland had two players sent to the sin bin and it could have been far uglier if the Wallaroos centre Georgina Friedrichs’ accusations of biting had been verified on review. But the officials saw no evidence and there were no bite marks on Friedrich’s forearm, so the referee waved the complaints away. The Australian prop Eva Karpani was shown a yellow card for a high shot in her milestone game on her 50th cap, while the impressive teenage fly-half Waiaria Ellis was also sent to the sin bin for slowing down a Scottish charge late in the first half.
The win came as a relief for the retiring pair Emily Chancellor and Smith, with the latter smiling as she received a standing ovation despite being sent off. I love these girls and what we play for,” she said. You can’t be what you can’t see.” Victory for Australia followed wins in Sydney and Edinburgh against Scotland.
The Wallaroos are now out of action until the side transitions to a full-time operation next year under their new coach, Sione Fukofuka, who has previously coached Scotland. Australia led 14-0 early but trailed 17-14 at half-time after a string of penalties led to three successive Scottish tries. The Wallaroos regained the ascendancy and surged back ahead 38-24 when the captain, Siokapesi Palu, finished a long-range effort.
But after losing Karpani and then Smith, Scotland surged back into the match, although they were unable to find the match-tying converted try on the final play.
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