(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Francesca McGhie Hat-Trick Leads Scotland to Dominant Win Over Wales in Women’s Rugby World Cup Opener
Scotland kicked off their Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 campaign in style, defeating Wales 38-8 at the Salford Community Stadium. The star of the match was Francesca McGhie, who scored a stunning hat-trick to secure a bonus-point victory for her side.
McGhie wasted no time making an impact, crossing the line after just 55 seconds. She added another try in the first half, along with a score from Leia Brebner-Holden, giving Scotland a 17-8 lead at half-time.
Wales briefly responded through Alex Callender’s try and a penalty from Keira Bevan, but struggled to match Scotland’s pace and precision.
The second half told a similar story, with McGhie sealing her hat-trick in the 43rd minute. Additional tries from Evie Gallagher and Emma Orr capped off a commanding Scottish performance, while Helen Nelson added four conversions.
This match was billed as a must-win for both teams, with Canada—ranked second in the world—expected to dominate Pool B. Scotland clearly rose to the challenge, displaying attacking flair and defensive strength throughout the game.
Earlier in Salford, Australia also impressed with a record-breaking 73-0 victory over Samoa. Desiree Miller scored three tries as the Wallaroos ran in 11 total, surpassing their previous World Cup best of 62-0 against South Africa in 2010.
