Allianz Premier 15s League – Round Eight
Harlequins v Gloucester-Hartpury
It was fourth against unbeaten first at the Stoop with no fewer than fifteen past and present Red Roses on display, plus a multitude of capped players from around the globe.
Eight wins on the trot normally means a championship trophy on the finishing line. That’s what Quins once proved. Now the Cherry-and-Whites must be the bookies’ favourites after another masterful display.
They are no one-day wonder. They came to a ground where there are no easy victories to be had, and dominated early possession. By half-time they had established a 14-point lead.
Quins came hard at them again in the next quarter-hour, but determined defence limited them to a single try after many drives at the line.
Sam Monaghan spotted a gap to give her side breathing space, and a final moment of magic by Ellie Kildunne was enough only to ensure a bonus-try point for the hosts. She produced another of her stop-and-goes that so flummox defenders, and went over in the same corner that saw her absolute stunner against Wales when she was a mere fledgling.
As we hunt for excuses for Quins’ misfortunes, we must mention the long-term absence of Vickii Cornborough. Bryony Cleall, Quins’ new rep on the WRA board, was another absentee, and Amy Turner doesn’t seem to have the back-up strength to mask these deficiencies. She has brought in a forest of new signings – Abby Dow the latest to wear a new club shirt – but somehow those departures they suffered – Ward, Infante, Breach, Beckett – are costing them dear. Jade Konkel- Roberts plays permanently like two forwards in one, and Rosie Galligan had a fine game.
But G-H have an outstanding skill-set. The scrum is formidable; the line-out mostly secure thanks to Monaghan and Zoe Aldcroft; then the speed of their clearances and the variations in the passes keep the opposition guessing. They alternate flat, deep asnd overhead passes with bewildering accuracy.
Sean Lynn has done well to raise the standards of all his players, from the most gifted to the youngsters still learning their trade. Still without Sarah Beckett’s services, he can shift Aldcroft to No 8, because Sisilia Tuipulotu is doing a fine job in the second row. Laura Delgado’s move north from Exeter Chiefs ensures the front row is steady.
G-H took a calculated risk with a 6/2 split on the bench and no Alex Matthews to act as Ms Versatile.
It worked.
Only five ex-Wasps were on show today.
Teams:
Harlequins: Kildunne, Aucken, Mayhew, Tuima, Dow, Scott (c), Packer; Sims, Cokayne, Edwards, Galligan, Bonar, Mew, Robinson, Konkel-Roberts
Bench: Dobson, Cooper, Duffy, Leaney, Chancellor, Swords, McKenzie, Amory
Gloucester-Hartpury: Sing, Rugman, H Jones, Heard, Lund, George, Hunt; Muir, Jones, Delgado, Tuipulotu, Monaghan, N Jones, Lewis, Aldcroft
Bench: Powell, Buggy, Hale, Else, Brock, Lillicrap, Blackburn, Bridger
Results:
Saturday Matches
Saracens 64 University of Worcester Warriors 20
Loughborough Lightning 41 DMP Sharks 7
Sunday Matches
Sale Sharks 25 Wasps 0
Exeter Chiefs 41 Bristol Bears 0 (RFU livestream)
Harlequins 22 Gloucester-Hartpury 33 (BBC Sport)
Did Saracens do today’s opponents a discourtesy by still headlining a game to come later in the season? Perhaps that’s the nature of professsionalisation.
May Campbell celebrated her 100th cap for Sarries, Kelsey Clifford her 50th.
The champions had two tries on the board before Paige Farries opened Warriors’ account (17-5). Farries added a second from a nice kick-pass by Hannah Bluck, but Sarries kept well ahead. They had Zoe Harrison restored to No.10.
Their ongoing problem is that in a league of only ten teams every loss makes a place in the play- offs harder to achieve. Their target must be to complete the rest of the season unbeaten. They are quite capable of it.
It’s a worrying time for the Bears. Last season Dave Ward seemed to be building a powerful squad. This year they are not producing the goods as expected. Their pointless trip to Sandy Park is a big dampener on their spirits. Next week they have the pleasure of facing a revivified Sarries.
The only worry down Devon-way is whether the rapid dissolution of the Chiefs’ men’s team will have any effect on the women. It’s unlikely, but two teams sharing a ground and training facilites must be all too aware of each others’ successes and failures.
The top of the table is really stretching out. All the first three have competed eight games, but there’s a 14-point span between them. As so often, the real battle is for that fourth place. Sarries must be strong favourites to claim it.
Table
P W L Pts
Gloucester-H 8 8 0 39
Exeter 8 7 1 35
Harlequins 8 5 3 25
Saracens 7 4 3 20
Bristol 7 4 3 20
Sale 7 4 3 18
UWW 7 3 4 16
Lightning 8 2 6 13
Wasps 7 0 7 0
DMPS 7 0 7 0
