Borderer Lana Skeldon now just nine matches off century of caps for Scotland’s women’s rugby team

The Bristol Bears hooker was already her country’s second-most-capped player after former Biggar back-rower Donna Kennedy and she got another game closer to the 54-year-old’s tally of 115 national team outings as their wait for a first win ever against the Australians was extended to six fixtures over 28 years by a 56-12 thumping at the weekend.

That was the Scots’ fourth WXV Global Series defeat on the bounce and their eighth loss in a row in all competitions.

Telling of her pride at taking second place in her team’s all-time appearance list, the 32-year-old said: “I am incredibly proud.

“I felt a lot of love when I got my 90th cap. Sometimes I feel like I just dot about doing my own thing, but some of the things that people were saying about me were really special.

“To be up there with the likes of Donna Kennedy – these are people I’ve looked up to my entire career and have been so inspirational to me, but now I’m up there on the list as one of them so I think to myself that I must be doing that to somebody else, which is a pinch-me moment.

“I’m just here to make this journey good for myself and good for those around me because if they are having a great time, then I’ll be having a great time.

“I feel like I’m not done yet.

“I do believe I’m towards the end but not any time soon.

“I’m at the point where I can improve a little bit but not much.

“I think I’ve still got a lot to give to the players that are here. I still feel like I add value to what they’re here for.

“I’ve been here so long that I understand what this team are about and I want to pass that on to as many of the newbies coming through as I can.

“I’m just not done and I don’t think the team are done with me either. I think they still want me about.

“I’ve still got plenty to give. I’ve got a relatively big part in this team and I want to hold onto that for as long as I can.

“I always promised myself, if possible, that I would finish when I wanted to, if I can, but I also want to finish at a point where I’m still happy playing and I’m very happy playing at the minute, so I’m not going to change that.”

Skeldon, on for 48 minutes before making way for Aicha Sutcliffe, was one of two Borderers in interim head coach Dave Butcher’s match-day squad, along with Jedburgh’s Chloe Rollie, brought on as a replacement for outside-centre Evie Wills at the same time as the No 2 was going off.

Edinburgh full-back Rollie, 31, is now on 90 caps, making her Scotland’s women’s third-most-capped player ever.

Scotland’s tries, one of them converted by fly-half Helen Nelson, were scored by left-winger Katie Buchanan and captain and blindside flanker Rachel Malcolm.

Touching down tries for the hosts were Desiree Miller and Amelia Whitaker at the double, Brittany Merlo, Maya Stewart, Waiaria Ellis and Eva Karpani, with Samantha Wood adding six conversions and Faitala Moleka another two.

Scotland play the Austrlians again in Canberra this Friday, with kick-off at 9.45am.