Malcolm admits Scotland are 'frustrated' after 56-12 thrashing by Wallaroos in Sydney

Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm admitted her side were ‘frustrated’ after a 56-12 defeat to Australia at Accor Stadium in Sydney, a result that leaves the visitors with just one win from their 2026 campaign and significant work to do ahead of a third Test against the Wallaroos.

Desiree Miller and Amelia Whitaker each scored twice for the hosts, with Maya Stewart, Waiaria Ellis, Brittany Merlo and Eva Karpani also crossing the line as Australia ran in eight tries in total. Scotland’s only replies came through Katie Buchanan, who opened the scoring with a bright early try, and one further effort — but the visitors lost the ball 17 times and conceded 10 penalties, making it near-impossible to sustain any momentum.

“Just frustrated,” Malcolm said after the final whistle. “I think we’re probably better than what the last two results have shown. Australia have been outstanding, the way that they’ve upped their game physically and taken it to us. That’s the bit that we’re probably not getting right. We need to be a little bit more ruthless in how we take our chances.”

The defeat follows a 30-10 loss to the same opposition at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh last month, compounding what has been a difficult WXV Global Series campaign for Scotland. Under interim head coach Dave Butcher, the atmosphere within the camp is said to have improved, though results have yet to reflect that shift.

Malcolm acknowledged that managing the momentum swings within a match remains a key area for development, particularly for a squad she described as young and still learning.

“When we had the momentum at the start of the game, we probably could have converted more of our points,” she said. “Then, when we don’t have the momentum, not conceding as many points. It’s really a maturity thing, learning to deal with the ebbs and flows of a game.”

One positive to emerge from the series has been the return to form of Evie Gallagher, whose performances have stood out amid the broader struggles. Malcolm also pointed to the impact made by substitutes as a reason for cautious optimism.

Scotland have six days to regroup before the two sides meet again at GIO Stadium in Canberra to conclude their WXV Global Series campaigns.