Wallaroos send retiring pair out with win over Scotland

In a hard-fought victory over Scotland at the Canberra Stadium, Australia's Wallaroos secured a win to bid farewell to two retiring players, Emily Chancellor and Cecilia Smith. Chancellor, the former Wallaroos captain, and Smith, who had her 34th and final Test match, both received standing ovations as they were chaired off by their teammates at the end of the 38-31 game. The Wallaroos have no further matches until their new full-time program commences next year under new coach Sione Fukofuka.

The match featured intense competition, with biting accusations and numerous yellow cards. Australia managed to outperform the tourists, producing several classy moments during the match. However, the hosts struggled with discipline on tackles and around the ruck, which kept the Scots in contention. Australia's defense was compromised four times, with Chancellor earning two yellow cards to conclude her illustrious 42nd Test career on a red card.

Scotland had two players sin-binned, and the match could have seen more incidents if Friedrich's accusations of biting had been verified. However, the officials found no evidence of a bite, and Friedrich was not found to have any bite marks on her forearm. The referee dismissed the complaints, and the match continued. French fly-half Waiaria Ellis was among the Wallaroos' standout performers, while Eva Karpani was yellow-carded for a high shot in her milestone game.

The win provided a sense of relief for Chancellor and Smith, particularly as Smith was emotional upon being sent off. She expressed her gratitude for her daughter Ruby's support throughout her Wallaroos career and aspired to be a role model for her. Chancellor, a two-time World Cup member, signed off with a win in her 42nd Test after making her debut in 2018.

She emphasized the opportunities and purpose that the game had provided her, highlighting its impact on her life and the importance of having role models to look up to.