The two Saturday matches were coloured by dreadful weather, high winds and heavy rain.
Loughborough Lightning v Leicester Tigers
I wonder if Leicestershire’s Tigers saw the irony of calling this game their ‘Derby’ day – wrong by one county!
Scoring was more plentiful here than in the other game at Bristol. Tess Feury got the Tigers off to a promising start with a penalty, but the pendulum soon swung the other way: Krissy Scurfield got Lightning off the mark.
Meg Jones proved her value to her side by Intercepting a pass and running the length to score Tigers’ first try. Kendall Waudby regained the lead for the hosts and Helena Rowland added two.
There was a scorcher from Emily Scarratt as usual roles were reversed: winger Scurfield fed her for a long run in.
It was an indication of Lightnings’ current shortcomings that they let Tahlia Brody escape for a third try. Kathryn Treder ensured the bonus-point. 26-17
It was almost inevitable that Alev Kelter would score on debut – she’s that sort of player. She latched on to an off-load and was over. It remains to be seen whether she will be the key to a renewal of Lightning’s fortunes. It’s still a team game.
It was huge credit to Tigers that Catha Jacobs got over the line for a valuable bonus-point just before the close. Lightning’s response was to invite Rowland to add three points. She obliged.
While Nathan Smith will be relieved to get a five-pointer secured, he and his defence coach must wonder whether their sea-wall is in good working order.
Teams:
Lightning
1 YOUNG 2 TREDER 3 KEATES 4 DUGUID 5 IVES CAMPION 6 TAUFOOU 7 WAUDBY 8 HIBBERT-JONES (co-captain) 9 DAVEY 10 ROWLAND 11 SCURFIELD 12 KELTER 13 SCARRATT 14 GOLDTHORP 15 NELSON (co-captain)
16 MARTIN 17 WILLIAMS 18 CURPHEY 19 WINTER 20 BOYD 21 BREBNER-HOLDEN 22 MORRALL 23 MATAITOGA
Tigers
1 BARTLETT 2 COKAYNE 3 CONSTABLE 4 OMOKHUALE 5 FRAY 6 DONALDSON 7 McBRIEN (captain) 8 BRADY 9 RELF 10 GALLAGHER 11 McGHIE 12 WILLS 13 M. JONES 14 HENRICH 15 FEURY
16 SIMPSON 17 E. SMITH 18 VINCENT 19 JACOBS 20 HEATH 21 MAXWELL 22 N. JONES 23 CHILDS
Bristol Bears v Trailfinders
Only one result was permissible for Bears; they were still looking for their first home win. That is how a schedule can work out for a club.
The weather competed strongly with Northampton’s, to prove it could be even beastlier. The meteorological result: a score draw.
The final result was further proof of the difficulty some clubs have in matching the strength of their most powerful opponents. Though there is plenty of talent available at Vallis Way, here at Shaftesbury Park it was only enough to provide a single score, a first-half try to Tyson Beukeboom, created by a telling kick through from Abby Dow.
For the rest the Bears held all the aces. Emma Orr opened proceedings with a well-placed fend and a dash to the line. A try from Ro Marston-Mulhearn just before the break ensured a valuable lead. 12-7
From there Amber Reed got the hosts off to another positive start. She sent a magnificent pass to Sarah Bern who did the necessary, (19-7) Next it was Reed doing it on her own; she spotted a gap and was through.
Dave Ward will be pleased and relieved to see his side pulling away decisively by the end. The battle at the top of the table allows for few false steps. Before the two Sunday games Bears rose to third place.
Teams
Bears
15 HESKETH 14 J. JOYCE-BUTCHERS 13 ORR 12 MURRAY 11 DAVID 10 REED (captain) 9 BURGESS 1 BOTTERMAN 2 SKELDON 3 BERN 4 CUNNINGHAM 5 BURNS 6 A. JOYCE- BUTCHERS 7 GALLAGHER 8 R. MARSTON-MULHEARN
16 ATKIN-DAVIES 17 PAM 18 DINAPOLI 19 BALOGUN 20 HERRING 21 RYALL 22 DE VERA 23 KEIGHT
Trailfinders
15 ROLLIE 14 DOW 13 SCHELL 12 THOMSON 11 WHITE 10 AMORY 9 MATTINSON 1 LEATHERMAN 2 GWALA 3 TUFFNAIL 4 BEUKEBOOM 5 PINNOCK 6 E. TAYLOR 7 META 8 ZACKARY (captain)
16 K. EVANS 17 CRAKE 19 MOORE 20 McGINLAY 21 SEYE 22 COOKSEY 23 INMAN
Result: 26-7
Afterthought
If we use a high-quality microscope, we can spot the effects of the limitation on overseas players; a number of new faces are beiing slipped into matchday line-ups. That’s excellent news.
Results
Loughborough Lightning 36 Leicester Tigers 24
Bristol Bears 26 Trailfinders 7
The Sunday matches
Sale Sharks v Exeter Chiefs
This was bottom versus top, and Chiefs chalked up their seventh win on the trot, but not by the margin their supporters must have expected. Instead, Sharks gave them a good testing; a margin of only ten points does them great credit.
The trouble is, narrow margins don’t mean points, and Sharks’ larder remains completely bare. It’s all so reminiscent of Worcester Valkyries’ hardships in the early days of the Premier 15s, and we know what happened to them.
In view of the widespread Kiwi mockery of the English preference for the big boot, it’s ironic to see Liv Mcgoverne, PWR’s own real-life Kiwi, leading the league’s kicking stakes. Will it all be drummed out of her when she returns home?
Result: 19-29
Saracens v Quins
Conditions were wild and woolly again at the StoneX. Quins had first use of the gale, and profited when Beth Wilcock crossed on the far left. Just before half-time Lizzie Hanlon doubled the visitors’ advantage. But before everyone could seek shelter, the TMO pointed out a high tackle by Wilcock, who was sent on her way. Sadly the victim, Rosie Galligan, had to leave the field too.
Half-time 0-10
Sarries have been in this sort of position umpteen times before, and sure enough, Zoe Harrison at once gave Quins a dose of their earlier treatment, thumping the ball far downfield to cause mischief. But the scores weren’t coming. We’re quite used to last-minute retrievals by Sarries, but at the three-quarter mark, they still hadn’t got the scoreboard to budge. Instead it was the returning Wilcock who pushed Quins further ahead with a third try. (0-15)
Then it happened. May Campbell, who’d been invited to watch proceedings at the start, proved her vslue by completing Sarries’ first successful drive. (7-15)
Taking a leaf out of England’s book, Sarries won a massive turnover on their own line, and Harrison lobbed the ball down to the other end of the pitch. Just like that!
Then, to add more sauce to the dish, she got the TMO’s verdict for a vital try and converted it. (14-15)
Nine minutes left, one point in it, Who’s your money on?
You were wise to keep your pockets sealed up. For once, Sarries failed to find the decisive thrust. Quins deserve huge credit for holding out.
This was one more game to prove how tight the competition is this season.
Footnote: Quins didn’t bother with their famous quarters this time. Instead their garb was a medley of white, pale green and a paler blue, red, black, plus touches of other hues, so that they wouldn’t feel unwanted.
Teams:
Saracens
1 HUNT 2 FIELD 3 CLIFFORD 4 GALLIGAN 5 EVANS 6 KASOLO 7 PACKER 8 P. CLEALL 9 WYRWAS 10 HARRISON 11 SHARP 12 McKENNA 13 GREGSON 14 CORRIGAN 15 SIMKINS 16 CAMPBELL 17 GONDWE 18 TREMELLING 19 B. CLEALL 20 McMILLAN 21 SENFT 22 McDOUGALL 23 BERMUDEZ
Quins
1 TURANI 2 POWELL 3 HANLON 4 FLEMING 5 LEANEY 6 WYTHE 7 CALLENDER 8 KONKEL 9 L. PACKER 10 POWELL 11NEUMANN 12 TUIMA 13 PARRY 14 WILCOCK 15 PENA
16 PHILLIPS17 DELGADO 18 LATSHA 19 BONAR 20 LOCHNER 21 AUCKEN 22 CROMACK 23 MILLAR-MILLS
Results
Sale Sharks 19 Exeter Chiefs 29
Saracens 14 Quins 15
Afterthoughts
May I claim a new theory? The stronger clubs’ 23s become, the earlier head coaches are prepared to ring the changes. Within ten minutes of the restart at the StoneX Bryony Field, Silvia Turani, Connie Powell, Hanlon, Abbie Fleming and Kaitlan Leaney had all left the field.
Once more I wonder about the fairness of the league as it is structured at present. The only time a TMO is on hand is when the TV cameras are there too. This leads to precise judgements which are not available to all the other games.
