Plus two Internationals and the Super Aupiki
Another worrying set of results in all five games. In each case the winners topped 50 points. So much for those pre-season claims of ever tighter competition.
Just one more round next week, then we make way for the Six Nations show. After that four more rounds remain to decide the four clubs to contest the knock-out stages. At the moment it’s between Bears and Quins.
DMP v Gloucester-Hartpury
Gloucester-Hartpury could hardly have been luckier after sustaining their first defeat of the season at home to Sarries. Only an early kick-off in the northern outpost of Darlington was likely to prove unwelcome. They sent eleven test players on to the field at the start; it took them barely a minute to score their first try, through Pip Hendy on the wing. Sophie Bridger reinforced her high promise with a second try. From there it became a procession.
Loughborough v Bristol
Bristol gained a bonus point inside 24 minutes (Lark Davies with her 11th). Amber Reed had a fine all-round game to remind selectors of her ongoing qualities, not least off the tee.
Sarah Bern leapt dramatically over a ruck to score and complete a one-sided half – six tries.
After the turn-round Ella Lovibond’s try was delightful: a set-piece move involving Elinor Snowsill twice worked perfectly.
Grace Crompton completed her hat-trick with a lovely in and out run. Simi Pam reminded us of her length of pitch score as she swept through the Lightning defences. Deborah Willis completed the move. Pam finished thing off with a second score.
Bears’ handling was much sharper than Lightning’s, and their fluency bodes well for the rest of the season.
My worry is that even if Emily Scarratt and Helena Rowland had played the entire season, Lightning’s performance might not have proved much better. It’s a concern that a pack containing five Red Roses (Harper, Hunter, Kabeya, O’Donnell and Talling) are not able to make their presence felt more positively.
It was a huge relief to see Rowland standing on her own two feet at half-time. She hopes to be in action before the end of the 6N, but that’s a long shot; she’s been missing for far too long.
And how many Loughborough students made the journey south to watch the game?
PoM: Grace Crompton
Quins v Exeter
Did I count 21 non-England qualified players across the two squads? A total of 79 points let me suspect I am right. ‘Tackling optional’ might be one response (see the Aupiki results below).
However well Chiefs are playing, Amy Turner cannot accept a debit account of 54 points in a home game. Quins now slip to fifth place, outside the play-off stakes.
Results:
DMP Sharks 0 Gloucester-Hartpury 60
Referee: Hamish Smales
ARs: Gregg Dawson and Andrew Ashwell
Saracens 62 Sale Sharks 7
Referee: Simon Harding
ARs: Lionel Spooner and Nia Parsonage
Harlequins 25 Exeter Chiefs 54
Referee: Dan Jones
ARs: Holly Wood and Katherine Ritchie
Loughborough Lightning 22 Bristol Bears 57 (at Northampton)
Referee: Alex Thomas
ARs: Simon Park and Fiona Brunt
with thanks to rugbyreferee.net
Sunday match
University of Worcester Warriors 57 Wasps 28
Referee: Adam Wookey
ARs: Darryl Chapman and Kevin Williams
Wasps put up their biggest total of the season, but were still swept off the field by a confident Warriors side.
The way these two clubs faced possible/probable removal from the league will one day make a fascinating tale for a discerning historian. Worcester have somehow managed to keep body and soul together; Wasps have had to create an almost entirely new squad, with inevitable results.
Table P W L Pts
Exeter 13 12 1 60
Gloucester-H 13 12 1 59
Saracens 13 10 3 50
Bristol 13 8 5 41
Harlequins 13 8 5 40
UWW 13 5 8 30
Sale 13 5 8 24
Lightning 13 3 10 18
DMPS 12 2 11 10
Wasps 13 0 13 0
Other Matches
Rugby Europe Trophy
Belgium 10 Germany 14 (Brussels)
Referee: Hana Erika Radochova (CZE)
Portugal 51 Czechia 0 (Lisbon)
Referee: Alexandra Ferre (FRA)
Super Rugby Aupiki 2023
Blues 33 Chiefs Manawa 50
Referee: Tarsh Ganley
ARs: Maggie Cogger-Orr and Tiana Ngawati TMO: Lee Jeffrey
Matatu 24 Hurricanes Poua 25
Referee: Mike Winter
ARs: Taneika Uerata and Cassie Watt TMO: Aaron Paterson
Both the Aupiki games kicked off at 20.00 local time. All Kiwi children were sound asleep by then.
Rosewatch
Given the absences from the Red Roses’ training squad (Botterman, Cornborough, Fleetwood, Harrison, Keates, Scarratt, Ward), plus uncertainty still surrounding the return to full fitness of Alex Matthews and Helena Rowland, we have to wonder how the 42-strong squad reacted to the possibility of further injury intervening.
This is how they divided up In the listings of the Round 13 (uncapped players in italics)
Starting: Bern, Breach, P. Cleall, Clifford, Cokayne, L. Davies, Dow, Duffy , Harper, Heard, Hunter, Infante, Kabeya, Leitch, Macdonald, McKenna (No 12), O’Donnell, L. Packer, M. Packer, Powell (flanker), Reed, E. Robinson, Sims, Talling, Tuima
Bench: Campbell, Galligan, Hunt, McGillivray, Wyrwas .
Non-appearance: Aitchison, Aldcroft, Beckett, B. Cleall, Crake, Kildunne, Matthews, Muir, Rowland, Rugman, Sing, Thompson
