Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm faced the media after a tough outing at Murrayfield, framing the match as a vital learning experience for her developing squad. "The scoreline is disappointing, and it's not what we wanted," she admitted, "but as we said before the game, we were here for the performance."

She provided a clear-eyed assessment of the gap between the teams, a common challenge in international sports where rebuilding phases meet established powerhouses. "Where we are in our cycle, England aren't a team we're ready to compete with yet. The promising thing is we created some pretty cool chances; the disappointing part is we didn't stop them enough times."

Malcolm pinpointed the core issue as a "baptism of fire" that highlighted areas for growth. "I think it was a bit of inexperience across the board today. We're all still learning about each other, and England exposed our weaknesses. This was a brilliant test for us, even if we'd hoped for a better performance."

Amid the lessons, there was a bright moment to celebrate: Rhona Lloyd's try that ignited the home crowd. "Of all the people to get Murrayfield on its feet, Rhona Lloyd is definitely one of them," Malcolm said with pride. "Scotland is everything to her, and what she's given to this team over the years is incredible."

Finally, the captain turned her focus to the supporters, whose energy defines the atmosphere at every level of the game. "I just want to say a massive thank you. Today has been a dream come true. The performance and outcome weren't what we wanted, but you guys created something we never thought possible in our careers. Let's make it happen again."