Two on offer here:
Trailfinders v Harlequins
Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks
Trailfinders v Harlequins
This may not have been the box-office hit of the weekend, but it showed PWR at its very best. Sixth played first, but you could hardly slide a pin between them.
Quins started like the well-oiled machine they have been since Round 3. They looked to be running clean through when the referee had to halt the game, with Annabel Meta lying prostrate under treatment. Sadly she was off after only two minutes, replaced by Grace Moore.
Two rapid Quins charges led to a penalty, and Silvia Turani was the beneficiary. 0-7
A second injury, to Alex Callender, meant more delay in the cold; if her loss proves lengthy, it will handicap Wales even more than Quins. But Claudia Peña forced her way over to double the score. 0-14
A TF penalty got them on the front foot. An accurate line-out, and Kat Evans finished all alone over the line.
One of many thoughtful grubbers through – this one by Julia Schell – led to a second home try for Evans. 10-14
Nettled by this, Quins went to work. Jade Konkel walked through a tackle and strolled in under the posts. (I may have underestimated her pace and power). 10-21
Next an almost inevitable sequence: Lisa Thomson thumped a long kick downfield, but straight into the hands of Ellie Kildunne. She thumped back, Chloe Rollie was out of position, and the ball bounced back and up into Kildunne’s hands for a simple try. 10-26, and the bonus assured after only 24 minutes. Such is the consequence of installing an artificial pitch.
Thomson didn’t learn, only this time it was Kayleigh Powell who fielded the ball. She fed Kildunne whose kick this time found Abby Dow caught under a pile of bodies. Fortunately Shya Pinnock put in a huge tackle to relieve the position.
Another TF infringement in defence led to Connie Powell’s ninth try of the campaign. Message: if you like scoring tries, play No 2. 10-31
TF countered well. Tyson Beukeboom burst away off a line-out. Caitie Mattinson, looking for the wide pass, found debutant Rori Wood, who offloaded neatly for Kate Zackary to cross.
Half-time 17-31
Five minutes in, and TF had their bonus-point. A pack drive motored so fast that Hamish Grant ran under the posts for a 7-pointer. Harriet Millar-Mills was decreed the guilty party. 24-31
TF were full of vim now, but they made the error of conceding penalties. They allowed Kayleigh Powell far too much space on the left, despite Quins’ numerical disadvantage. 24-36
Lisa Neumann was allowed to make a huge diagonal break from right to left; Vicky Laflin just got back in time.
There came an intriguing moment after TF turned the ball over in deep defence. They swung it across to the left where Dow faced Kildunne. She couldn’t get outside her, but continued inside for several metres. Now Thomson loosed off a perfect 50:22 (more like 60:22).
At last TF profited from their advantage. A huge catch-and-drive saw Liz Crake, only just on, cross for the hosts’ fifth. 29-36
20 minutes still to go, and we were back to 15v15. Quins knew they had to show their true mettle. They went through a testing series of phases, but Grace Moore won a holding-on verdict.
TF put thirteen (13!) into a forward drive. Hamish Grant was patient, and the ball did eventually reappear. It spread left where Laflin spotted a gap and was over. 34-36
Then the impossible happened. Quins were building again with menace, when suddenly Millar-Mills dropped the ball. Zackary hacked ahead, then a second time and dropped on it over the line! A different sort of 70-metre run. 39-36
For the first time in the match TF were ahead. All they lacked were Julia Schell and Emma Taylor to ensure the four extra points.
A Sam Shiels clearance was charged down, and TF infringed. Carys Phillips started and finished a drive that restored the lead. 39-41
TF didn’t compete at a line-out and paid the penalty. Kayleigh Powell made a fine break between Moore and Burnfield to add to that narrow lead. The conversion came back off the post ro leave TF with three minutes to seek salvation. 39-46
The drop-out finished behind Quins’ line and the clearance was charged down. The TF pack hammered at the line. When it spread left they were caught holding on. In any case, spectators knew the conversion would have to be from in front, not out wide.
Quins let the clock run down by mauling a vast distance into TF’s half. In true Quins’ style, they let the outside backs gallop; then Lucy Packer heard Big Ben strike and hoofed the ball into touch.
Result: Trailfinders 39 Harlequins 46
Teams
Trailfinders
15 Chloe Rollie 14 Grace White 13 Jess Cooksey 12 Lisa Thomson 11 Abby Dow 10 Julia Schell 9 Caity Mattinson 1 Alivia Leatherman 2 Kate Evans 3 Rori Wood 4 Tyson Beukeboom 5 Shya Pinnock 6 Abi Burton 7 Annabel Meta 8 Kate Zackary (captain)
16 Paige Stathopoulos 17 Liz Crake 18 Cassandra Tuffnail 19 Grace Moore 20 Rowena Burnfield 21 Ella Amory 22 Sam Shiels 23 Vicky Laflin
Quins
15 Ellie Kildunne 14 Beth Wilcock 13 Claudia Peña Hidalgo 12 Lagi Tuima 11 Lisa Neumann 10 Kayleigh Powell 9 Lucy Packer 1 Silvia Turani 2 Connie Powell 3 Lizzie Hanlon 4 Abbie Fleming 5 Kaitlan Leaney 6 Harriet Millar-Mills 7 Alex Callender 8 Jade Konkel (captain)
16 Carys Phillips 17 Jessie Spurrier 18 Laura Delgado 19 Laura Brooks 20 Maja Meuller 21 Freya Aucken 22 Ella Cromack 23 Sarah Parry
Afterthoughts
Emma Taylor is the latest player to suffer an ACL injury; a loss for TF and a concern for Canada. Only six Wasps players on parade today.
Ross Chisholm will be relieved at the victory, but deeply concerned by the six tries conceded. For TF it was the old, old story: they can score wonderful tries against anyone, but they keep leaking in defence. At least one Quins score was due to an avoidable defensive lapse.
The Famous Quarters are so famous that once again Quins didn’t feel the need to wear them.
Overnight they claim a 7-point lead over the chasers.
All in all, a great match played in the cold.
Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks
This was the Meg Jones show by another name. She had a hat-trick inside 25 minutes, and Emily Henrich squeezed another in between her first and second.
Sharks did get over the line before the break, but the referee had spotted an error and called them back.
31-0 at half-time
It was a relief to find Sharks coming back striongly; Sophie Hopkins crossed for their first offering. After a fine penalty kick into the Tigers’ den, Lizzie Duffy’s conversuion from the edge hit a post and stayed out. 31-5
Tigers responded quickly, Henrich leaping to claim a cross-kick for her second. Sale stuck to their task and earned their second through a pile of bodies. 38-12
As the game moved towards a close, they were nearly over again, but couldn’t ground the ball. Then just before the final whistle Iona Antwis drove over behind a rolling maul. Sadly, once more this wasn’t quite enough to gain the Sharks their first point of the season. One consolation is a 17-7 second-half win.
Result: Leicester Tigers 38 Sale Sharks 17
Teams
Tigers
15 Claire Gallagher 14 Emily Henrich 13 Meg Jones 12 Evie Wills 11 Francesca McGhie 10 Natasha Jones 9 Amy Relf 1 Leah Bartlett 2 Amy Cokayne 3 Sophie Benavent 4 Eva Donaldson 5 Charlotte Fray 6 Julia Omokhuale 7 Katie Childs 8 Roisin McBrien (captain)
16 Nikki Simpson 17 Abbey Constable 18 Nadine Vincent 20 Morgan Richardson 21 Tiana Gordon 22 Jenny Maxwell 23 Jordan Russell
Sharks
15 Lizzie Duffy (co-captain) 14 Sophie Hopkins 13 Rachel Phillips 12 Beatrice Rigoni 11 Holly Thorpe 10 Robyn Wilklins 9 Sofia Stefan 1 Detysha Harper (co-captain) 2 Scarlett Fielding 3 Nick James 4 Iona Antwis 5 Molly Morrissey 6 Jo Brown 7 Niamh Swailes 8 Morwenna Talling
16 Molly Wright 17 Catie Benson 18 Evie Roach 19 Katie-Louise Moore 20 Jasmine Hazell 21 Olivia Ortiz 22 Vicky Irwin 23 Nikita Prothero
Afterthoughts
For tonight’s homework, you can pen a Sharks rescue plan, to be sent to the new Chief Executive of PWR, once he or she is known.
There were fine players on show on both sides, but at this level of competition, it isn’t enough. Trailfinders proved the point earlier.
Congratulations to all the spectators for turning out in these conditions. Who was wearing the most layers?
