Two matches – first Bristol Bears v Trailfinders, then Sale Sharks v Gloucester-Hartpury
Both matches were played in miserably wet murky conditions.
We were treated to another thriller at Shaftesbury Park, as Bears tried to get their season running properly.
History tells us these contests tend to be close, but not at the start. After only four minutes Sarah Bern completed one more typical thrust to the line.
TF had manned the breakdowns too lightly and paid the penalty. Bears did well to string fine passes together to create the chance.
Two more tries, first to Evie Gallagher (quite outstanding today), then Keira Bevan from a tap and go close in, seemed to put the hosts on the high road to a second victory (21-0).
Ah, but!
Before the break Vicky Laflin, who had only just been caught on the right earlier, scored TF’s first try on the far left, helped by her inside backs creating space for her.
Niamh Gallagher will have impressed Scott Bemand, as she slotted the first of a series of tricky conversions. She’s threatening Stacey Flood’s right to the Irish 15 shirt.
Half-time: 21-7
The second half played out in a style all too familiar to the Bears.
Despite a clutch of classy players in key positions (take a glance at the team-lists below), they found it hard retaining their clear lead.
They conceded three tries, while adding only one themselves.
On one occasion they opted for a line-out, but overthrew it to give Grace White her chance to cross the line.
Bears’ fans were relieved to see Reneeka Bonner make a typical dash down the right flank, but the TF defenders got back to force a penalty.
Just four minutes later Ruahei Demant offered her a delicious reverse she couldn’t refuse (26-14).
But from there it was mostly the visitors in charge.
As they brought their bench on, there was concern since Annabel Meta, a newly converted loose-head, had to face Bern. She found the first scrum unprofitable, but after that more than held her own.
Rachel Malcolm, non-stop action as usual, brought the score to 26-19.
Ella Amory inserted a fine diagonal 50:22 to put her side on top.
With three minutes on the clock TF built a splendid handling move completed by Emma Uren. It needed an even better conversion by Niamh Gallagher to ensure a score-draw, as it was known in the palmy days of football pools.
Result: Bears 26 Trailfinders 26
Player of the Match: Sarah Bern
Referee: Natarsha Ganley (NZR)
Teams
Bears: 15 LOVIBOND 14 BONNER 13 ORR 12 M. SMITH 11 DAVID 10 DEMANT 9 BEVAN 1 M. DAVIES 2 SKELDON 3 BERN 4 CUNNINGHAM 5 BALOGUN 6 SHORT 7 BUISA 8 E. GALLAGHER
16 DALE 17 JAH 18 VAN DER STRAATEN 19 BEET 20 HOPKINS 21 RYALL 22 DE VERA 23 DANIELS
Trailfinders: 15 N. GALLAGHER 14 WHITE 13 UREN 12 COX 11 LAFLIN 10 C. GALLAGHER 9 BRADLEY 1 LEATHERMAN 2 PONSONBY 3 MONTIEL 4 ROOS 5 BORLAND 6 MALCOLM 7 HEAD 8 ZACKARY
16 BLANCO 17 META 18 TUFFNAIL 19 E. TAYLOR 20 MOORE 21 AMORY 22 COOKSEY 23 BOATMAN
Afterthoughts
Two possible world records?
a. three Gallaghers on the field at once – all different nationalities!
b. No fewer than six national captains in one team: Rachel Malcolm, Emma Uren, Cristina Blanco, Maia Roos, Kate Zackary and Isla Norman-Bell.
26-26 is now confirmed as the league’s favourite final score.
Abbie Ward on co-comms was her usual insightful self, but she kept referring to a team called Ealing. That will surprise around 99.9% of the inhabitants of that London borough, since they haven’t the foggiest notion of the Trailfinders’ existence.
Natarsha Ganley had almost as many Kiwis to deal with as English. But she did encourage the players to get a move on; she was feeling cold.
I’ll leave you to count up the number of English players on the field. There were a few, I believe.
Sale Sharks v Gloucester-Hartpury in brief
Conditions at Heywood Road were far worse than in the other game. This was how all matches used to be before the invention of 3G, 4G and 5G – mud everywhere, especially on the players.
This helps to explain why Gloucester-Hartpury only just scraped their usual bonus point in the second half. Everything was against fast open play. But the Gloucester pack is a match for nearly everyone.
Mia Venner put them ahead early, then Kelsey Jones added a second.
But a response by Milly Hyndman kept them honest, and they had to make do with a modest 7-21 lead at the break.
It’s greatly to Sharks’ credit that it needed a final thrust by Rachel Lund to make the game safe and ensure a full package of points from G-H’s ten matches.
Result: Sharks 7 Glos-Pury 22
Afterthoughts
It was just as wet in Rome!
I fear the PWR is now being reduced each week to two closely contested games out of four.
Proof? Gloucester-Hartpury played 10, won 10; Leicester Tigers played 9 won 0.
No matter how close the opposition comes to downing the champs, they go on winning; all very predictable. Tigers’ opponents tomorrow remain the likeliest side to halt their progress; their attack-defence record is distinctly better, but not their table points.
Two matches tomorrow Sunday:
Tigers v Sarries 13.00 (GMT)
Quins v Chiefs 15.00 (GMT)
