This weekend Bristol Ladies are back in action after the Christmas break, and straight into the thick of Premiership and Championship South West Two action. Both teams play on Sunday 8th Jan, with both kick offs at 2pm.
The Bristol Ladies 1st XV make the trip up to Cooke Fields to face league rivals Lichfield Ladies in a top of the table clash. Bristol have won 9 out of 10 fixtures so far this season with 44 points gathered so far this season, whilst Lichfield are second in the league with 8 victories out of 10 and 40 points.
Last time the two side met in the league Bristol took the victory by just 4 points, with the game ending 19 – 14. Chantelle Miell and Claire Molloy (2) scored for Bristol back in October, but a penalty try, and two yellow cards in the final 10 minutes saw Lichfield push Bristol to the limit for the full 80 minutes.
With the play off structure in place, a top four finish all but guaranteed for both sides, but this won’t take away from the passion and pride that comes with for the victor of this fixture.
8 England internationals appear on the team sheet, with Wilson Hardy, Jones, Bern, Noel Smith, Cleall and Leitch all starting, with Packer and Waterman on the bench.
The Bristol Ladies 2nd XV welcome Drybrook Ladies to Cleve RFC on Sunday, who are currently only three points adrift from Bristol in the league. The 2nd XV are sitting in 3rd place on 29 points, with Supermarine also on 29 (with a game in hand), with Drybrook Ladies in 5th place on 26 points.
The last fixture saw Bristol come away with a bonus point victory and running in seven tries to the home sides one, leaving the score 5 – 43. With a loss to Bath Ladies in the fixture before Christmas still fresh in their minds the 2nd XV will be keen to react with a win, with the knowledge that places in the Cup Squad are also up for grabs for those individuals who really step up.
Bristol have named a strong side, featuring 5 England U18s/U20s Carys Cox, Jeanine Stephenson, Ellie Mulhearn, Vicky Foxwell and Lucy Attwood, with experience in the form of Captain Trish Brown and winger Becki Belcher.
Bristol Ladies 1st XV vs Lichfield Ladies at Cooke Fields, KO 2pm Sunday 8th January
1. Abbie Parsons
2. Clara Nielson
3. Sarah Bern
4. Amelia Buckland Hurry (c)
5. Kayleigh Armstrong
6. Izzy Noel-Smith
7. Poppy Leitch
8. Poppy Cleall
9. Cat McNaney
10. Meg Jones
11. Amy Wilson-Hardy
12. Sarah Graham
13. Lottie Holland
14. Chantelle Miell
15. Sydney Gregson
16. Daisy Travers
17. Kate Newton
18. Marlie Packer
19. Sue Neumann
20. Liv Jones
21. Carrie Roberts
22. Danielle Waterman
Bristol Ladies 2nd XV vs Drybrook Ladies at Cleve RFC, KO 2pm Sunday 8th January
1. Jeanine Stephenson
2. Ellie Mulhearn
3. Nat Lewis
4. Clea Fawcett
5. Steph Jones
6. Trish Brown (c)
7. Hester Stembridge
8. Abi Willett
9. Phil Proud
10. Lucy Attwood
11. Tilly Vaughan-Fowler
12. Rownita Marston
13. Carys Cox
14. Becki Belcher
15. Georgia Liddington
16. Lucy Herring
17. Sadie Giles
18. Sylvia Chan
19. Vicky Foxwell
20. Maeve Liston
21. Emma Nicholson
Report courtesy of Emma Bacon, Bristol Ladies Media, sponsored by Wring Group
