Today’s three games showed the PWR up in its best light. There was competition everywhere, even if the winners were well ahead at the end. The lowest losing total was 22, twice over.
Results
Trailfinders 22 Chiefs 41
Gloucester-Hartpury 47 Saracens 31
Loughborough Lightning 22 Quins 40
Trailfinders v Exeter Chiefs
Prelims
It’s a pity that TF’s head coach is another who starts his remarks with: “Yes, no”. Susie Appleby, by contrast, was full of common sense. Let battle commence!
The Game
Chiefs had the advantage of a low sun and breeze at the start.
A fine line-out saw Alivia Leatherman lead a charge right into Chiefs’ 22. A quite magnificent move, stretching from Abby Dow on the left to a Lisa Thomson break past Rachel Johnson and a feed to the right, gave Grace White the opening score on the edge. A real statement of intent, that confirmed Appleby’s concern.
Musicians would call that upbeat. 5-0
Caity Mattison’s return from the drop-out landed in midfield for Chiefs to exploit. But they fumbled, then earned a free-kick at the first scrum. This was to prove the deciding issue by the end. They were happy to follow TF’s playing-style; a long pass wide to Sabrina Poulin just failed through drifting forwards.
TF had obviously been working on counters to scrum problems: straight in and out, so that Kate Zackary could pick and go before the tidal wave swept over her. But when the ball next popped out, it was too fast, and Flo Robinson was the beneficiary.
It was a blow for TF when Emma Taylor suffered an early injury.
On 10 minutes Chiefs won their first scrum penalty. They ran the ball; Katie Buchanan was stopped just short, Hope Rogers wasn’t. 5-5
TF came back strongly, their backs looking a constant danger. A 5-metre line-out went well, but the subsequent drive was held up. How many times has that happened in the league this season?
But they were the next to score. A second perfect line-out, and the drive went better. Try Kat Evans. 10-5
On the few occasions Chiefs threatened the line Dorothy Wall was very prominent; an encouraging sign for the Irish. They exploited a good position for Rogers to down the ball over the line 10-10. Then the repeating groove, a Rogers hat-trick. (10-17) Is it the USA for the World Cup?
A careless loss of possession gave Poulin the chance to break Rogers’ monopoly of the score- sheet. 10-22 and the bonus point wrapped up before the break. It finished with Dow having to carry the ball over her own line.
Half-time 10-22
One long hoof from Julia Schell and Chiefs were defending. A high tackle by Rachel Johnson on debutant Niamh Gallagher meant a yellow card, and, although Gallagher was back on her feet the doctor ordered an HIA. TF had their reward, Evans with her second on the end of a drive. 15-22
Still during the 15v14 Chiefs went over for their fifth. Who was going to snatch the PotM award from the insatiable Rogers? 15-29
Johnson was allowed back on. She helped Chiefs stroll over for their next try. So the foreign battering ram continued to flatten London’s roads. 15-34
It now became a procession. Liv McGoverne walked through a gap and flung a huge pass to Katie Buchanan who went over in a Breach-like wilderness. (15-41) Only on 66 minutes did Appleby feel it sensible to introduce Tony Rowe’s latest purchase, the Canadian Taylor Perry, to the contest. One more place denied to an up-and-coming local lass.
In the last ten TF threw caution to the wind in an effort to gain a fourth try, but Chiefs were happy to answer in kind.
TF’s first-choice pack had been under pressure; the reserves suffered more. Then – would you believe it? – as the clock went into the red, the scrum crumbled the other way. TF attacked like fury. Dow drove off the blind-side, Row Burnfield and Zackary carried on, and it was Annabel Meta who ensured that valuable bonus-point on 81 minutes.
This was a characteristic performance for TF. They can score against anybody, but keeping their own line water-tight is another matter.
Result:
Trailfinders 22 Chiefs 41
Referee: Holly Wood (RFU)
Teams
Trailfinders
1 Alivia Leatherman, 2 Kat Evans, 3 Cassandra Tuffnail, 4 Tyson Beukeboom, 5 Shya Pinnock,
6 Emma Taylor, 7 Abi Burton, 8 Kate Zackary (captain), 9 Caity Mattinson, 10 Julia Schell, 11 Abby Dow, 12 Lisa Thomson, 13 Jess Cooksey, 14 Grace White, 15 Niamh Gallagher
16 Paige Stathopoulos, 17 Kie Tamai, 18 Sara Seye, 19 Grace Moore, 20 Rowena Burnfield, 21 Ella Amory, 22 Rosie Inman, 23 Annabel Meta
Chiefs
1 Hope Rogers 2 Cliodhna Moloney 3 DaLeaka Menin 4 Poppy Leitch (capatain) 5 Dorothy Wall 6 Ebony Jefferies 7 Maddie Feaunati 8 Rachel Johnson 9 Flo Robinson 10 Liv McGoverne 11 Katie Buchanan 12 Alex Tessier 13 Nancy McGillivray 14 Sabrina Poulin 15 Merryn Doidge
16 Emily Tuttosi 17 Mikiela Nelson 18 Charli Jacoby 19 Linda van der Velden 20 Niamh Orchard 21 Lucy Nye 22 Taylor Perry 23 Lori Cramer
Afterthoughts
After a quick-fire census, I reckon this match saw: 9 Canadians, 5 Americans, 3 Irish, 2 Scots, 1 Kiwi, 1 Dutch, 1 Italian, I Japanese, 1 Belgian, 1 Aussie, and a handful of assorted Engish. So the NEQPs numbered more than a complete 23. How will the new Chief Exec. of PWR, when appointed, react to the current situation?
Giselle Mather had said before TF’s debut match last year that they were working on a 2,000 attendance. That looked like Dreamland today in west Ealing.
Gloucester-Hartpury v Saracens
For most of this cruch match it was hammer and tongs, but the final result adds more doubts about Sarries’ standing this season.
Their pack is no longer the dominant force it was: no Botterman, no Poppy Cleall, no Fleetwood. They have star players everywhere, but the chorus line isn’t in perfect synch.
G-H went ahead with a pack try scored by Kate Williams, then the backs took their turn with Nel Metcalfe exploiting an overlap on the edge.
It took Sarries nearly half-an-hour to get on the board. Rosie Galligan showing her pack the way. Zoe Harrison, who looks dead set on regaining her England place, slotted three points, and it was game on. 12-10
There was still time for two more scores before the lemons; Mo Hunt sniped, and Harrison added to her try-scoring record this season. Add to that a yellow for Zoe Aldcroft, and the home crowd was disturbed. 19-17
Just the sort of score the neutral had been hoping for. Oh, sorry, on a recount there weren’t any.
Emma Sing showed she isn’t just a kicking machine by competing the next try. Then Harrison had her second! So with 50 minutes gone, it was still a 2-point margin, 26-24.
The home crowd were very happy to welcome Lleucu George back from a lengthy absence. Ellie Green had done a good job in her absence, but now the length of the George kick became a telling factor. Add that to Sing’s metronomic tee-kicking, and you have a blueprint for success.
Now it was two tight-head tries in a row; first Maud Muir, then Kelsey Clifford. 33-31 Anyone’s game. But now G-H strung two scores together, both by forwards, first Neve Jones, then Mackenzie Carson.
These were to prove the decisive blows
After the game Muir put in for triple pay: she was prop, midfield link and pacy winger all in one. She was the deserving PotM, though Sing ran her very close – literally.
Result: 47-31
Loughborough Lightning v Quins
It’s a sign of strength when selectors can choose the same starting XV two weeks running. That was Ross Chishom’s happy position with Quins.
But Nathan Smith, making four changes, gave Kendall Waudby a turn on the bench after she had registered more tackles than anyone in the league.
This was another highly exciting contest with quality players all over the shop. But once more Lightning proved not to have all the talents needed to carry the day. They started well enough; two tries to Daisy Hibbert-Jones then Alev Kelter, but, rather like Trailfinders, their defences are less certain. They finshed the half two points down, but Quins ran away with the game after that. From the power of Jade Konkel up front to the devastating running of the World Player of the Year at the rear, they had the home side (a term I use loosely for a club playing 50 miles from home) on the run.
A particular delight for Stoop fans were the two tries from Emma Swords, late of Trailfinders, but here making a serious bid for consideration in the Irish national side.
Quins chalked up a remarkable seventh win on the trot. How times change!
Teams
Lightning
15 Francesca Goldthorp 14 Bulou Mataitoga 13 Emily Scarratt 12 Alev Kelter 11 Krissy Scurfield 10 Helen Nelson (co-captain) 9 Megan Davey 1 Anne Young 2 Kathryn Treder 3 Laura Keates 4 Abby Duguid 5 Lilli Ives Campion 6 Hallie Taufoou 7 Sadia Kabeya 8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones (co- captain)
16 Elis Martin 17 Isla Curphey 18 Christine Belisle 19 Becky Boyd 20 Kendall Waudby 21 Leia Brebner-Holden 22 Carmela Morrall 23 Lia Green
Quins
15 Ellie Kildunne 14 Beth Wilcock 13 Clàudia Peña 12 Lagi Tuima 11 Lisa Neumann 10 Kayleigh Powell 9 Freya Aucken 1 Silvia Turani 2 Connie Powell 3 Lizzie Hanlon 4 Abbie Fleming 5 Kaitlan Leaney 6 Nicole Wythe 7 Alex Callender 8 Jade Konkel (captain)
16 Carys Phillips 17 Jessie Spurrier 18 Laura Delgado 19 Danelle Lochner 20 Sarah Bonar 21 Emma Swords 22 Sarah Parry 23.Maja Meuller
Result: 22-40
Lightning were the only club willing to list all their unavailable players. The nine included three Red Roses, two Scottish caps, two England Under 20s and one England 7s player
Table P W Pts
Exeter Chiefs 8 8 38
Quins 9 7 35
Glos-Pury 9 6 33
Saracens 9 6 32
Bristol Bears 7 5 25
Trailfinders 9 3 18
Lightning 9 2 13
Tigers 8 1 6
Sharks 8 0 0
