Three games here. Saturday saw two London sides hosting.
Both Sarries and Quins were anxious to ensure every point; one of the top five clubs was going to face bitter disappointment come the season’s end.
For the present they could take advantage against two sides pitched a distance behind them.
Quins v Trailfinders
Trailfinders conceded a high tackle verdict inside the first 20 seconds! That was to prove an ill omen for them. Their punishment this week may be to commit the law book to memory and recite it in front of the selectors.
An early move by TF involving a switch between Dow and Cousineau didn’t work, and Quins profited. After several thrusts at the line, it was Kayleigh Powell who leapt over. 7-0
TF’s tactics were plain to see: throw the ball far, wide and often. Now Grace White profited from clever handling initiated by Tyson Beukeboom. She made a threatening dart into Quins’ 22, and Lisa Thomson was the beneficiary – able to run run right across to under the posts. 7-7
The game continued at high pace, but inaccuracy was the price. TF infringed twice, allowing Connie Powell to finish over the line under a heap of bodies. 14-7
TF were lucky when Hamish Grant spotted a Quins infringement as they swept over the line. They had given away territory and possession too easily; their eagerness to move the ball at every opportunity overcoming caution.
A Quins’ attacking line-out was inaccurate, but it worked in their favour: Claudia Pena sauntered over in open country. 19-7
Quins had their bonus-point secured before the break. Yet more TF infringements led to a decisive thrust by Lizzie Hanlon.
Abby Dow’s first run was at last three metres long, but she gained a penalty. Caity Mattinson tapped and ran, and it was all hands on deck for Quins. Fine handling and quick repossessions saw White squeeze over on the far left.
But TF’s defensive systems were being ruthlessly exploited. Jade Konkel added an over-generous fifth try as the clock showed 40.
Half-time: 33-12
Inside the first three minutes of resumption TF managed to upset the referee three times, including a 10-metre walk-back. Tyson Beukeboom paid the penalty with a 10-minute card. Would these irregularities have happened under Giselle Mather’s regime? Ben Ward will know the answer.
TF put their house in order to the extent that the next 20 minutes remained scoreless. Then Pena indulged in an unwise two-handed tap-on that fell into Dow’s hands. The result was a try to Beukeboom, returned from the naughty-step. 33-19
Quins responded at once, Babalwa Latsha adding a sixth.
Ellie Kildunne had been almost a sleeping-partner till now, but an unwise kick-ahead bounced kindly for her; she in turn punted ahead and Sarah Parry was in under the posts.
Another encouraging win for Quins.
Result: 47-26
Teams:
Quins
15 KILDUNNE 14 WILCOCK 13 PENA 12 TUIMA 11 NEUMANN 10 K. POWELL 9 AUCKEN 1 TURANI 2 C. POWELL 3 HANLON 4 FLEMING 5 LEANEY 6 WYTHE 7 CALLENDER 8 KONKEL (captain)
16 PHILLIPS 17 DELGADO 18 LATSHA 19 BONAR 20 LOCHNER 21 SWORDS 22 PARRY 23 MEULLER
Trailfinders
15 ROLLIE 14 DOW 13 THOMSON 12 COUSINEAU 11 WHITE 10 SCHELL 9 MATTINSON 1 LEATHERMAN 2 K. EVANS 3 TUFFNAIL 4 BEUKEBOOM 5 PINNOCK 6 TAYLOR 7 META 8 ZACKARY (captain)
16 GWALA 17 TAMAI 18 SEYE 19 MOORE 20 McGINLAY 21 AMORY 22 COOKSEY 23 INMAN
Saracens v Loughborough Lightning
List the missing players today (Jess Breach, Poppy Cleall, Sophie de Goede, Cath O’Donnell, Emma Wassell, Rachel Malcolm et al) and you might expect to be watching the Under 21s. But no! There was a plethora of talent on display, playing with huge skill at high speed. One unexpected bench-name was Sadia Kabeya; good to see her back in action.
We had a lovely moment on 13 minutes. Sarah McKenna slid a long grubber through to the right corner. It bounced in off the flag-post, Alysha Corrigan touched down, but was denied a try. Her right foot had strayed off the park. So similar to Ellie Kildunne’s vain attempt in WXV1, from a similar nudge by Holly Aitchison.
Zoe Harrison did her England prospects no harm, when she took a quick tap penalty and had the strength to force the ball down over the line (7-0). She had an outstanding all-round game.
Lotte Sharp made a telling break past Lightning’s renowned midfield, but May Campbell couldn’t hang on to a tricky pass short of the line.
It was a concern when Helena Rowland left the field. Her nose looked mendable, but her limp was more worrying; possibly an ankle problem.
McKenna made a wonderful run in support of Harrison’s defensive catch, but Helen Nelson halted her progress at full stretch.
Corrigan was one of several players to catch the eye. Now she exploited an untidy scrum near the line to race through. 14-0
Lightning responded with a golden move. The ball was eventually flung wide left. McKenna deflected it with a flat hand, but Holly Wood gave Krissy Scurfield a try anyway. Emily Scarratt matched Harrison with her tee-accuracy. 14-7
Even better, Nelson threaded her way past any number of tackles to feed Fran Goldthorp for an equaliser. 14-14
Bryony Cleall showed a patented Cleall-skill with a magical pass through her legs that set Sarries back on attack. They looked to be over as the hooter went, but faulty hands brought an exhilarating half to a close.
Half-time: 14-14
Harrison was almost over for her second, but Butou Mataitoga inserted her body underneath. To show her feelings, Harrison went for a drop-goal from somewhere this side of Charing Cross. It just slid wide.
The Sarries’ mechanics had got the gears sorted now, and, after taking a long low look, the referee gave McKinley Hunt a try under the posts. 21-14
On 60 minutes Sarries were offered a penalty close in. To confirm their view of the tight margin, Harrison was invited to add three. (24-14) Would that prove a costly defensive option? It looked so as Lightning built another onslaught; Goldthorp caused problems in midfield, then, as the ball came left, Nelson slipped another grubber over the line. Alev Kelter just won the verdict as bodies flopped over the ball. A third excellent conversion by Scaz made it 24-21.
As normally happens at the StoneX, Sarries completed the last quarter on their terms. Lightning won two ‘held-up’ decisons in a row on their own line; their attempts to run the ball from deep proving unwise.
McKenna cut back inside to upset the defensive line; when Fancy Bermudez, recently on for Sharp, did the same, she had the agility to cross for her first Sarries try. 29-21
Two minutes to go, another Sarries penalty and for the second time the call was defensive: three more points to Harrison.
Result: 32-21
Player of the Match: Kelsey Clifford
Gloucester-Hartpury v Bristol Bears
This was another worrying set-back for the double champions. When a side is so chock-full of top players, you rather expect them to win every game with one hand tied behind their back. But not with the Bears in town. In a low-scoring thriller, they came home by a single-score margin.
G-H paid the penalty for a low-key start: Bears had two tries on the board inside twelve minutes (Courtney Keight and Holly Aitchison) 0-12
Despite periods of intense pressure, the hosts couldn’t break their duck by half-time.
It was the dependable Ellie Rugman who got them going. (7-12) The tension mounted as G-H got a driving maul motoring. Stand-off Millie Hyett gained the equalising score, then the inevitable Emma Sing conversion. 14-12 and time for a deep breath.
A full 17 minutes before the close of play Phoebe Murray inserted a wicked chip through that she completed herself. Time for a home team recovery? No.
Despite all Mo Hunt’s wiles, G-H proved incapable of finding an equaliser. That makes their third loss of the season. The trophy is still within their grasp, but it looks as though they will have to secure it the hard way – by overcoming the odds twice in the play-offs.
For Bears this was a huge encouragement. They too have talent to spare, but have suffered unwanted reverses at wrong moments. This away win will give them confidence, knowing they can confront allcomers.
Results
Saracens 32 Loughborough Lightning 21
Quins 47 Trailfinders 26
Gloucester-Hartpury 14 Bristol Bears 19
Still to come:
Sunday 1 December
Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers (available on TNT)
Afterthoughts
Are there dangers in having too much talent on tap? In his pre-match chat Quins’ Ross Chisholm mentioned the competition for places: all five bench front-five players were internationals. That is an ongoing concern for PWR clubs: how do they prevent players feeling they don’t have enough opportunities?
Some quite wonderful rugby played this weekend.
