Scotland women’s skipper Rachel Malcolm says she is “excited” about where the squad is at the minute as they get ready to head to South Africa on Thursday for their WXV 2 title defence after the team made it 10 wins in the last 13 Tests by defeating Fiji 59-15 at Hive Stadium on Saturday.

The Scots backed up their 40-14 triumph over Wales last Friday here and are in fine fettle ahead of flying off in a few days’ time.

They will certainly face tougher tests in Cape Town versus Italy (September 28), Japan (October 5) and Australia (October 12), but this performance - and the fact they know they can get even better - will certainly have boosted confidence.

“It was a message that we said before the game that we had to be disciplined defensively, but also be disciplined in terms of the way that we wanted to play and not get dragged into their type of game,”  back-rower Malcolm said post-match.

“Fiji play quite a unique brand of rugby and it can be easy to get dragged into that and try and do it yourself, but that is not us and I think it is really important heading into WXV 2 that we stick to our own game and keep establishing our own brand of rugby.

“We saw that brand of rugby that we want at times here, we got a bit loose at times, but when we play that fast and accurate style of rugby that we want to we are super effective.

“I think we were more clinical this week than we were against Wales, there is still lots to work on ahead of WXV 2, but that is exciting and a good place to be in.”

As mentioned, the team have now won 10 out of 13 games and are pushing to be in the top five in the world now.

That run came off the back of 12 losses in a row and the positive batch started last April versus Italy.

“I think for me the difference that has come out in the last couple of years is the confidence that the whole group has,” Malcolm stated.

“I think the depth we now have and the trust we now have has helped with that along with winning games and I really do feel excited heading to South Africa because I know how well we have played at times in the last 18 months or so, but I also know there is more to come from us and that is a good place to be in ahead of a tournament.”

Against Fiji there was a seven-point penalty try while centre Lisa Thomson scored two tries and full-back Chloe Rollie, hooker Lana Skeldon, Malcolm herself, winger Francesca McGhie, sub Lucia Scott and winger Rhona Lloyd all crossed with player of the match Meryl Smith converting six of them from stand-off.

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Head coach Bryan Easson is feeling “pretty good” ahead of the tournament to come, saying he is “very proud” of the 10 wins in 13.

About Fiji, he said:  “We highlighted their front five and how athletic the rest of them were - they didn’t disappoint, did they?

“They gave us that physical contest we were looking for. I thought we stuck at it. We were disciplined and it was a deserved victory for the players, I thought they were excellent.

“I’m very proud of the recent run of results. Everybody has worked really hard and we’ve gone through some lows, but it just shows the resilience of the group and how hard everybody works that we are where we are and the players are putting that on the pitch.

“It was difficult versus Fiji, it was windy, it was gusty, but there was a lot of maturity in that performance.

That maturity is not just here, it’s been building for the last 13 games.

The leadership group are exceptional. There was a lot of talk this week but when it mattered it was about action.

“I think we are in a pretty good place heading to South Africa, the attack is really starting to click.”

Easson stated that winger Coreen Grant, a late call off versus Fiji with a hamstring tweak, will be fine to travel on Thursday as will centre Emma Orr after a bang to the nose against the Fijians.