Scotland hooker Lana Skeldon believes that the key to ending the team’s long losing run is to give the squad’s younger players the confidence to do their talent justice.

The Scots’ losing run in all competitions stretched to 11 games on Saturday when they lost 34-22 at home to Wales, but Skeldon is convinced that their performance was a significant improvement on the 58-7 defeat by England a week earlier.

“Our performance on Saturday was a massive step forward from last week,” she said. “For the full 80 minutes there we believed we could win. We are getting better game on game.

“We battled really well to the last minute, but unfortunately missed a few opportunities early on. Taking our chances when they are there is something we are striving to get better at.”

Confidence is inevitably low in the squad, especially among those new members of the group who have yet to win while playing for the national team. But Skeldon, at 29 one of the side’s senior players, is certain the younger players will come good.

“The only way you’re going to win is believing you can win,” she continued.

“My job as an experienced player in the squad is to fill them with that belief and tell them they should back themselves.

“They’re here because they’re good enough and they have to realise that. As one of the experienced ones I have to just fill them with confidence as they are great players. They just have to realise how good they actually are.”

Skeldon was one of three try-scorers for Scotland along with Chloe Rollie and Coreen Grant. Helen Nelson got the rest of the points with two conversions and a penalty.

Scotland’s next game is a week on Sunday away to France.