SCOTLAND 62 NEW ZEALAND 18
IAN GOLDEN, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, Friday

SCOTLAND achieved their first ever Wheelchair World Cup win in their fourth tournament – and the first by any Bravehearts side against New Zealand.

It was the first meeting between the two nations in wheelchair, but in the six previous meetings in other internationals, three in the men’s game and three in Student World Cups, Scotland had failed to win (although they did have a memorable draw in the men’s Four Nations in 2016).

This encounter produced a tight first half with the lead swinging back and forth for the first four tries, until Scotland took some control and went into the break with a 32-12 lead.

Hamish Douglas took under a minute to give Scotland the lead, with Davidson converting, only for a Joshua Hirini-Barclay try and goal just a few minutes later to level things.

A Davidson try and kick gave Scotland a 12-6 lead on eight minutes, but from the next New Zealand set just a couple of minutes later, Nikia Fa’atau scored, Hirini-Barclay converted and the scores were level again.

But tries from Dave Hill, James Simpson-Hill, Max Owen and Davidson, who converted twice, put Scotland in control.

Two second-half tries each from Davidson and Owen, and one from Simpson-Hill, cemented the win. Davidson kicked three second-half goals and Hamish Douglas two.

Jack Brown’s try for New Zealand on 65 minutes, converted by Hirini-Barclay, was just consolation.

SCOTLAND: 1 Calum Davidson, 8 Hamish Douglas, 3 James Simpson-Hill, 4 Dave Hill, 5 Olivia Fulton. Subs (all used): 9 Calum Japes, 6 Max Owen, 7 Sarah Devlin

Tries: Douglas (1), Davidson (8, 40, 47, 60), Hill (25), Simpson-Hill (28, 80), Owen (36, 57, 73); Goals: Davidson 7/9, Douglas 2/2

NEW ZEALAND: 4 Joshua Hirini-Barclay, 6 Kauri Murray, 3 Nikia Fa’atau, 5 Jayson Hooker, 9 Pele Sulusi. Subs: 2 Ryan Charles, 8 Mitch Stone, 1 Jack Brown

Tries: Hirini-Barclay (5), Fa’atau (11), Brown (68); Goals: Hirini-Barclay 3/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 12-6, 12-12, 16-12, 20-12, 26-12, 32-12; 38-12, 44-12, 50-12, 50-18, 56-18, 62-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Players of the Match
Scotland: Calum Davidson, New Zealand: Nikia Fa’atau

Penalty count: 8-3; Half-time: 32-12; Referees: Jake Brook and Tim Robinson