With seven first team players on international duty at the weekend, the senior cup provided an excellent opportunity for aspiring players to experience the game at the higher level, and the players from the 2nd team drafted into this game proved to be far too strong for the Championship One League winners.
Waterloo, to be fair, arrived with a much depleted squad due to regional games and injuries and were never given an opportunity to show the flair and skill that has put them in the Premiership Play-off position this season.
The complete rout started less than two minutes into the game as Rhi Donnelly broke along the wing to score in the corner.
The power and competence of Worcester’s forwards, coupled with the pace of their backs, gave Waterloo an impossible task to defend and with a half time score of 46 -0, Worcester emptied their bench for the second period with the replacements taking the game to the opposition in same manner. The visitors were unable to defend the direct running of Rachel Lund, Courtney Gill and Zoe Bennion who struck fear into the Waterloo defence every time they had possession.
The biting cross wind made life very difficult for kickers, but Sam Bree, who has recently taken on these duties, admirably made six conversions.
Try scorers were: Rachel Lund 5, Courtney Gill 3, Zoe Bennion 3, Aimee Lensson 2, Rhiannon Donnahey, Rhiannon Watkins, Chelsea Snead and Lark Davies.
Chelsea Snead and Paula Robinson followed up their fine performances from the previous week at Richmond to make telling contributions and clearly put themselves into the frame for first team selection. This performance, along with last week’s narrow defeat at the Premiership Title winners is most encouraging as strength in depth is now clearly being developed.
Worcester travel to Bristol Rugby next Sunday for their third game in the Senior Cup and will doubtless field the same combination of first and second team players as international abstractions will again determine the selection.
Waterloo must be congratulated for playing this fixture in absolutely the right spirit, trying hard, alas to no avail, for the full 80 minutes and on occasions they did provide some competition at the breakdown, but just could not compete with the quality of the home side’s players.
Final score: Worcester 97 Waterloo 0
We would like to thank our sponsors and supporters VetsNow, NMU, Foil Specialist, Gardiner Fosh, Worcestershire County Council, Knowle Sports, Aline, AJB Photographic for their continued support.
Worcester would also like to thank the supporters of both teams who braved the chilling conditions, much appreciated.
Report by David Guest – Worcester 1st XV Manager
