Scotland’s U18 women opened their 2025 Six Nations Festival campaign with heavy defeats, but what they showed in fight and firepower painted a different picture from the scoreboard.
From fearless tackles to smart set-piece pressure, the young Scots made their mark in Wellington, even as France and Wales ran up the numbers. Head coach Lindsey Smith says there’s plenty to take forward. And she’s not wrong.
Smith sees bright spots in tough openers
Lindsey Smith didn’t mince her words, but neither did she dwell on the negatives. Standing on the sidelines after a bruising double-header, the Scotland Women U18 head coach looked tired, proud, and quietly upbeat.
“We were so much better against Wales than we were a few weeks back,” she said.
Her tone wasn’t celebratory — but it was steady.
“We pressured their line-out. We moved the ball well. Yes, we made some wrong calls, but that’s what these festivals are for. To learn.”
She was particularly impressed by the energy against France. The scoreboard read 55-0, but that wasn’t the full story. Not even close.
And her praise wasn’t vague. She name-checked players who stood tall:
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Bethan Mathieson
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Lucy Giles
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Scarlet Haddow
All three of them made try-saving tackles in both games. All three kept their heads high when the heat — both metaphorical and literal — was cranked up.
A tighter fight against Wales than the score suggests
Scotland’s opening match of the day saw them square up against Wales — a familiar rival, and one they’d struggled with just weeks earlier.
This time, the Scots looked sharper. More alert. Hungrier.
Wales scored early, a converted try inside the first few minutes. A second was chalked off for a forward pass — lucky break? Maybe. But Scotland were growing into the game.
Then came the spark.
Fly-half Poppy Mellanby burst through the Welsh line with that kind of step that makes you do a double take. She sliced defenders, turned the angle, and spotted Dunfermline winger Bethan Mathieson flying behind her.
One clean pass. One sharp finish. Seven points all.
It didn’t hold forever, though.
Wales kept the pressure on. Two more tries in the final stretch of the game turned the scoreline their way.
But the Scots didn’t fold. They scrapped, defended, and frustrated — even holding the Welsh up over the line twice.
Final score? 21-7. But that doesn’t tell the whole truth.
The French machine: unstoppable but not unchallenged
Let’s be blunt: France were a different beast.
Scotland knew what was coming. France had just put 43 points on Wales without breaking a sweat. The conditions were hot. The schedule brutal. And France came out swinging.
It was physical. It was punishing. It was relentless.
Scotland couldn’t catch a breath — and the scoreline ballooned fast. Every knock-on, every loose ball, every moment’s hesitation was punished.
But again, the spirit held firm.
Josie Foubister tracked back time and again to snuff out overlaps. Bethan Mathieson and Lucy Giles — there they were again — dragging down attackers just shy of the line. The margin was brutal, but the heart on display? Unquestionable.
One short paragraph. Just to breathe.
Players who stood out when it counted
While the headlines focused on the final tallies, Smith was more interested in effort. She singled out several players who refused to shrink when the spotlight hit:
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Bethan Mathieson: Fast, gritty, smart. Scored one and saved at least two.
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Lucy Giles: Brave under pressure. Timed her tackles like a veteran.
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Scarlet Haddow: Solid at the back, gutsy in the air.
And then there’s Poppy Mellanby. Fly-half with pace, brains, and nerve. Her break set up Scotland’s only try of the day — and her conversion gave it full value.
Here’s a quick view of who did what:
| Player | Key Contribution | Opponent Impacted |
|---|---|---|
| Poppy Mellanby | Try assist, conversion, defensive stops | Wales |
| Bethan Mathieson | Try scored, several try-saving tackles | Wales & France |
| Lucy Giles | Last-line defense, positional awareness | France |
| Scarlet Haddow | Safe under high ball, aggressive tracking | France |
| Josie Foubister | Defensive coverage on the wing | France |
Every one of them had moments that will be watched back in video sessions and remembered by teammates. The scoreboard fades. The guts don’t.
Lessons learned, and day two ahead
There’s no way to sugarcoat 55-0. It stings.
But this wasn’t a collapse. This was a squad still finding its feet on the international stage.
Coach Smith framed it best: “It’s a steep learning curve.”
Her tone was calm, not defensive. There’s belief in this group. More than belief, actually. There’s a plan. She talked about game management. Line-out strength. Players stepping up in pressure moments. That’s not fluff. That’s substance.
There’s also fitness. Technique. Mental sharpness under fatigue. All of it’s being tested, and all of it’s building something.
Scotland Women U18 now move forward into day two of the festival with a better sense of where they are — and how far they’ve come. The French juggernaut showed them what the top level looks like. The Wales game showed they can hang in the fight.
Another short line. Just because.
