Five-try Wales go top of 6N

Both sides made changes for the clash north of the border, Jenny Hawkins appearing in the second-row for Wales after Shona Powell-Hughes was given an extended recovery period, shuffling skipper Rachel Taylor to flanker and Sioned Harries to No.8. Meanwhile for Scotland, Mhairi Grieve, Hannah Sloan and Hannah Smith all came into the back-line.

Welsh winger Lauri Harries opened the scoring after six minutes with a short-range penalty, then doubled the lead eight minutes later as Wales dominated territory, but failed to break through a determined and hard-working Scottish defence. The winger did slice a third effort wide of the posts but despite dogged Scottish defence, the hosts only entered the Welsh 22 once in the entire period, when centre Hannah Smith nearly ran on to an attacking kick by Lisa Martin in injury-time, only to be foiled by an early tackle.

Leading just 6-0 at the break, Wales had to be patient. The Scots started the second half with more fire and centre Nuala Deans reduced the lead to three points shortly after the break with a well-struck 35 metre penalty. But the opening Welsh try came in the 50th minute following a series of forward drives, after wing Harries and scrum-half Amy Day had gone close. Hooker Phillips who managed to force her way over under the posts with Harries adding the simple conversion.

The game was then held up for 15 minutes of treatment to Scotland's centre Hannah Smith, who was stretchered off with an apparent neck injury. Smith was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure but her injury was not thought to be serious. But Wales recovered the momentum with the powerful Sioned Harries forcing her way over from a five metre scrum after 70 minutes, converted by her namesake.

Wales were now in cruise control and with just over ten minutes remaining scored their third try of the half when full-back Hywel went over in the corner, squeezing over in the corner from Adi Taviner's pass to make the score 25-3.

With Scotland down to 14 players after Deborah McCormack was sin-binned for a high tackle, fly-half Snowsill jinked over for Harries to convert, as both sides ran through their full complement of replacements. Scotland continued to tackle hard but it was one-way traffic for the women in red and replacement Lawrence forced her way over in the 24th minute of stoppage time, with Harries adding the extras.

SCOTLAND WOMEN

Chloe Rollie (Melrose), Hannah Sloan (Stewartry), Hannah Smith (Hillhead Jordanhill), Nuala Deans (Wasps), Abi Evans (Northumbria University), Lisa Martin
(Murrayfield Wanderers), Mhairi Grieve (RHC Cougars), Heather Lockhart (Hillhead Jordanhill), Lana Skeldon (Melrose), Tracy Balmer (captain) (Worcester), Deborah McCormack (Richmond), Emma Wassell (Murrayfield Wanderers), Karen Dunbar (RHC Cougars), Lyndsay O'Donnell
(Worcester), Jade Konkel (Hillhead Jordanhill)

Replacements: Sarah Quick (Murrayfield Wanderers), Lindsey Smith (Hillhead Jordanhill), Lisa Robertson (Murrayfield Wanderers), Christianne Fahey (Murrayfield Wanderers), Rachael Cook (Murrayfield Wanderers), Sarah Law (Murrayfield Wanderers), Claire Bain (RHC Cougars), Eilidh Sinclair (Murrayfield Wanderers)

WALES WOMEN

Dyddgu Hywel (Pontyclun/Scarlets); Elen Evans (Waterloo/Scarlets), Adi Taviner (Skewen/Ospreys), Gemma Rowland (London Wasps/Dragons), Laurie Harries (Llandaff North/Blues); Elinor Snowsill (Dragons), Amy Day (Llandaff North/Dragons); Caryl Thomas (Bath Ladies/Scarlets), Carys Phillips (Skewen/Ospreys), Catrin Edwards (Llandaff North/Scarlets), Rebecca Rowe (London Welsh/Dragons), Jenny Hawkins (Llandaff North/Blues), Sian Williams (Worcester/Dragons), Rachel Taylor (Bristol Ladies/Dragons - capt), Sioned Harries (Whitland/Scarlets).

Replacements: Amy Lawrence (Skewen/Ospreys), Jenny Davies (Caernarfon/Blues), Amy Evans (Skewen/Ospreys), Melissa Clay (Pencoed/Ospreys), Hannah Jones (Penybanc/Scarlets), Keira Bevan (Skewen/Ospreys), Robyn Wilkins (Llandaff North/Blues), Kerin Lake (Skewen/Ospreys)

(Report: Sportsbeat/BBC)