Round 15, the first since the Six Nations, ended like this:
Harlequins 47 Leicester Tigers 12
Loughborough Lightning 26 Gloucester-Hartpury 61
Saracens 54 Sale Sharks 21
Trailfinders Women 10 Exeter Chiefs 40
(Bristol Bears weren’t able to play; you know why.)
It was hot! I haven’t typed that word for a month or three.
Scoring traditionally rises at the end of the season, anticipating Sevens festivals to come. For me the more important detail is the margins of victory. They were remarkably similar: 35, 35, 33, 30, but much too wide for comfort.
At least the team that conceded the highest total, Lightning, gained a try-bonus. Perhaps it was because they were wearing their away kit at their home ground, which is still 50 miles from their true home. Simple game, rugby.
There’s not a sign of an upset in the results. If we want TV companies vying to cover every match, closer competition would help.
One tiny example: “G-H: OFF Carson, Muir, Hunt. ON Perry, Delgado, Blackburn.” So that’s three current Red Roses replaced by two past Red Roses and a captain of Spain. The club could find only 12 England players to put out, plus 7 ‘overseas’ players, including 3 national captains. Hard times.
Honorable mentions
It was wonderful seeing Laura Keates restored to action, now with Lightning, and she scored a try.
Another well-known name debuted for Tigers: Celia Quansah. It was her first outing on the rugby field since 2021, another victim of a dreaded ACL injury. Tigers had another tough day on the road.
Exeter Chiefs have qualified for the semis. Now for the important bit: only two wins in the knock- outs will really satisfy them. Neither is likely to be a cakewalk.
Abby Dow found herself playing in the centre. She did manage to score two late tries to break Trailfinders’ duck.
At the Stoop another debutant, Lisa Neumann, just failed to reach the line, but when the ball was recycled Shaunagh Brown went over to celebrate her 100th outing for Quins. Babalwa Latsha will have been overjoyed to hear that her Boks team-mates beat Madagascar the next day, to qualify for WXV2 and next year’s World Cup. At last Quins were able to welcome Jade Konkel back to service. She’s not an exact replacement for Ellie Kildunne (departed to 7s), but who wouldn’t want her at 8 in their pack?
Table P W D L Pts
Glos-Pury 14 14 0 0 69
Saracens 13 11 0 2 55
Exeter 14 9 1 4 52
Bears 13 9 0 4 46
Lightning 13 5 0 8 28
Harlequins 13 4 1 8 28
Trailfinders 13 4 0 9 23
Tigers 13 2 0 11 8
Sale 14 1 0 13 3
Points of interest:
Despite appearances, this was Round 15.
G-H’s lead remains 14 points, though Sarries have the game in hand. The gap between the top four and the rest is now 18 points.
The biggest worry remains the Sharks. Sarries had their try-bonus point secured inside fifteen minutes. The official PWR scribe writes: “Saracens held off a determined Sale Sharks performance….”
Of course they were determined; every club, every player is; but the final margin of 33 offers a different slant.
As the last base camp between Twickenham and the North Pole, their case is urgent. In the past the RFU has shown no mercy to struggling clubs. An ‘independent’ company is now in charge of PWR affairs, but they are still answerable to HQ.
For as long as clubs are allowed and able to build up vast stocks of top players, there can be no change in sight.
Afterthought
My apologies to Trailfinders for initially typing their name as ‘Railfinders’. I’m not sure train- spotting is their scene.
