WXV Global Series
Australia (14) 38
Tries: Whitaker, Stewart, Moleka, Duck, Palu Cons: Wood 4 Pens: Wood
Scotland (17) 31
Tries: Malcolm 2, Sutcliffe, Buchanan, Lloyd Cons: Nelson 3
Scotland failed to hang on to a half-time lead against Australia in Canberra as they slumped to a ninth straight Test defeat.
The visitors finish their WXV Global Series campaign with five losses from five, having lost to Canada and New Zealand before three straight defeats by the Wallaroos.
Dave Butcher's side shipped eight tries in their previous outing in Sydney last week and appeared on course for another bruising scoreline when converted scores from Amelia Whitaker and Maya Stewart put the hosts 14-0 up after 12 minutes.
However, the beleaguered tourists responded through captain Rachel Malcolm's opportunistic try and slowly gained a measure of control.
After Australia centre Cecilia Smith was sin-binned for a high tackle on Scotland full-back Chloe Rollie, Aicha Sutcliffe scored the Scots' second try at the back of a rolling maul and Helen Nelson's conversion made it a two-point game.
Australia finished the half with 13 players as Waiaria Ellis joined Smith in the sin-bin and Scotland went in front soon after.
Katie Buchanan skipped past two would-be tacklers to score Scotland's third try and boost hopes that a long-awaited win might be in the offing.
Australia retook the lead just four minutes into the second half though. After Rollie was yellow carded, Faitala Moleka scored the home side's third try, converted by the unerring boot of Sam Wood.
And things went from bad to worse for Scotland when Piper Duck's converted try made it 28-17 on 52 minutes.
Rhona Lloyd hit back after a brilliant carry from Scotland number eight Evie Gallagher, but a Wood penalty and a converted try from home captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona took the game out of reach.
A flurry of cards late on meant both teams finished without a full XV as Lloyd was sin-binned for denying a try-scoring opportunity and Cecilia Smith was shown her second yellow of the match for a high tackle.
Malcolm dotted down for her second try late on, but it was merely a consolation.
Line-ups
Scotland: Hannah Ramsay, Rhona Lloyd, Meryl Smith, Helen Nelson, Katie Buchanan; Hannah Ramsay, Leah Brebner-Holden; Anne Young, Aicha Sutcliffe, Elliann Clarke, Holland Bogan, Sarah Bonar, Rachel Malcolm (capt), Rachel McLachlan, Evie Gallagher.
Replacements: Lana Skeldon, Leah Bartlett, Imogen Spence, Hollie Cunningham, Eva Donaldson, Ceitidh Ainsworth, Nicole Flynn, Lucia Scott.
Australia: Faitala Moleka, Maya Stewart, Georgina Friedrichs, Cecilia Smith, Amelia Whitaker; Waiaria Ellis, Samantha Wood; Allana Sikimeti, Tania Naden, Faliki Pohiva, Kaitlin Leaney, Tiarah Minns, Siokapesi Palu Sekona (capt), Emily Chancellor, Piper Duck.
Replacements: Brittany Merlo, Brianna Hoy, Eva Karpani, Michaela Leonard, Pia Tapsell, Lily Bone, Piper Simons, Ella Ryan.
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr.