A rout in Sydney, a scare in Canberra: the Wallaroos sweep Scotland 3-0

The Wallaroos swept their series against Scotland 3-0, but the two games in the past week could hardly have been more different: a 56-12 rout at Accor Stadium in Sydney on the Bledisloe Cup undercard, and a 38-31 escape in Canberra on Friday night after Scotland led at half-time.

Sydney: eight tries and an all-New Zealand refereeing team

Scotland scored first, through wing Katie Buchanan in only the fourth minute, and then the Wallaroos ran away with it. Hooker Brittany Merlo, wing Maya Stewart, fullback Desiree Miller, wing Amelia Whitaker and first five-eighth Waiaria Ellis all scored before half-time, while Scotland's Meryl Smith was in the sin bin, and Australia led 35-5 at the break. Miller and Whitaker added second tries, Rachel Malcolm scored for Scotland, and replacement Eva Karpani finished the scoring in the last minute of her 49th Test. Samantha Wood and Faitala Moleka kicked eight conversions from eight attempts, and Whitaker was player of the match.

The New Zealand connection was in the officials and in the back row. Every member of the match-official team came from New Zealand Rugby: referee Maggie Cogger-Orr, assistant referees Chloe Sampson and Erin Doherty, TMO Estelle Whaiapu and foul-play reviewer Aaron Paterson. And at No 8 for Australia was Pia Tapsell, the Melbourne-born former Black Fern who played six Tests for New Zealand in 2019 and 2020 before switching to the Wallaroos this year.

Canberra: a scare and a send-off

The third Test at GIO Stadium on Friday 23 October was the opposite. Whitaker and Stewart scored inside 11 minutes for 14-0, but Scotland, who had trailed by 30 a week earlier, came storming back with three tries, from captain Rachel Malcolm, hooker Aicha Sutcliffe off a maul and Buchanan, to lead 17-14 at half-time. Moleka and flanker Piper Duck scored early in the second half, Rhona Lloyd hit back for Scotland, Wood kicked a penalty, and captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona's try in the 61st minute made it 38-24. Malcolm's second, two minutes from time, set up a nervy finish that ended with centre Georgina Friedrichs winning a turnover at the siren.

It was a ragged, physical night with a string of yellow cards; centre Cecilia Smith was sent off for a second yellow late in the game. Moleka was named player of the match. Karpani played her 50th Test, and the Wallaroos farewelled Smith and Emily Chancellor, who both announced their international retirements during the week.

Why it matters here

The Wallaroos are building towards a home World Cup in 2029 and finished the WXV Global Series window with three wins from three. With Tapsell now a fixture in their pack and New Zealand officials trusted with their biggest games, the trans-Tasman links in women's rugby keep growing.