Scotland grab a fifth minute lead in Sydney, then watch Australia run in eight tries

The story

Scotland's women started their trip to Sydney about as well as anyone could hope. Katie Buchanan, making her first start for her country, picked up the ball out wide, stepped past a defender and raced in to put Scotland ahead after just five minutes. That lead held until the 17th minute. Hooker Brittany Merlo crossed to level things, Maya Stewart added another soon after, and once centre Meryl Smith was sent to the sin bin, Australia pulled away fast. Desiree Miller, Amelia Whitaker and Ellis all scored before the break, and the hosts went in 35 to 5 up. Captain Rachel Malcolm forced her way over early in the second half to give Scotland something back, but Miller and Whitaker both grabbed their second tries and Eva Karpani finished things off right at the end, after Eva Donaldson was shown a yellow card. Samantha Wood kicked six conversions. It was a tough week before kickoff too. Lock Sarah Bonar pulled out ill shortly before the game and Hollie Cunningham came in. Scotland are playing under caretaker coach Dave Butcher, and this makes eight straight defeats, four of them in the new WXV Global Series after losses to Canada, New Zealand and now Australia twice. Australia had already beaten Scotland 30 to 10 in Edinburgh, a win that moved them above the Scots in the world rankings. This one makes that gap look even bigger.