Late try from Ffion Lewis secures thrilling victory for Wales over Scotland

Wales’s decision to give their top dozen women professional contracts at the turn of the year is already bearing fruit. After their rousing comeback victory in Dublin last weekend Siwan Lillicrap’s rejuvenated side moved to second in the Six Nations table with a breathless win over a Scottish side who simply refused to give in.

Wales know the real test lies ahead when they face England at Kingsholm next Saturday, but after a first home Six Nations win for three years the revolution is up and running. The replacement scrum-half Ffion Lewis only settled the game in the dying minutes and Lillicrap and Alisha Butchers were outstanding in the back row as Wales recovered from a nerve-shredding first half in which they were forced on the back foot against a Scottish side humbled themselves by England a week earlier.

Scotland drew first blood when their hooker Lana Skeldon celebrated her 50th cap by burrowing over the line after Sarah Bonar won a lineout. All the early pressure came from the visitors, who were playing with plenty of ambition.

Wales struggled for possession and territory in the first quarter but they eventually got a foothold in the game. The hooker Carys Phillips forced her way over after a surge by the Welsh pack from a lineout.

Scotland had competed pretty well with the English scrum a week earlier but Wales’s pack began to turn on the power. Scotland, though, were playing most of the rugby and after a multi-phase move the scrum-half Jenny Maxwell hoisted a hopeful kick to the corner and Rhona Lloyd took advantage of a wicked bounce on the Arms Park artificial pitch to outfox two defenders for Scotland’s second try.

The visitors butchered a chance at a third try when they spurned a three-player overlap but