Here’s a look at the four matches: the Vallis Way and Stoop ones in some detail.
Trailfinders v Gloucester-Hartpury
Winter was clearly on the way at Vallis Way as players, spectators and commentators had to peer through the gloom to spot the ball. The players proved best at that challenge.
Here we had a contrast between one talented team and another close to international standard. Glos-Pury did enough to ensure the vital five points. TF, with their preference for open rugby at all costs, found themselves taking risks that caused their downfall. The first came early, Emma Sing intercepting a hopeful pass to run in.
G-H went back on the attack, and the game stayed at that end of the field for most of the half. Now Alex Matthews produced one of her specials; a break from the back of a line-out and a scoring pass to Ellie Rugman.
It’s to TF’s credit that they kept Glos-Pury at bay for most of the half, though they rarely threatened their try-line. Before the break Rugman was in for her second, making her delayed return from injury all the more welcome.
Half-time: 0-15
Matthews didn’t bother feeding the backs for the next, bonus-point try. She just picked up at the scrum and went over. Easy.
The home crowd, mostly young and supportive, shouted loudly every time a green attack prospered, but they had to wait patiently till the 55th minute for Grace White, a more than useful stand-in for the absent Abby Dow, to go over. 7-22
G-H’s response was to show the pack at its best; Beth Stefford completed a dominant move.
All too late, TF added two tries to redress the balance, through Tyson Beukeboom and Liz Crake. With the hosts closing to within ten points of the champions, Sing was invited to slot a final three from a penalty.
For a second time Trailfinders had come close, but not nearly close enough. Life is tough at the top.
Result: Trailfinders 19 Gloucester-Hartpury 32
Player of the Match: Kate Williams
Teams
Trailfinders
15 ROLLIE 14 INMAN 13 SCHELL 12 THOMSON 11 WHITE 10 AMORY 9 MATTINSON 1 CRAKE 2 BLANCO 3 SEYE 4 BEUKEBOOM 5 PINNOCK 6 TAYLOR 7 MOORE 8 ZACKARY
16 GWALA 17 LEATHERMAN 18 TUFFNAIL 19 EVANS 20 META 21 COOKSEY 22 COUSINEAU 23 GALLAGHER
Gloucester-Hartpury
1 CARSON 2 N. JONES 3 TUIPULOTU 4 K. WILLIAMS 5 ALDCROFT 6 CASTELLUCCI 7 LEWIS 8 MATTHEWS 9 HUNT 10 HYETT 11 RUGMAN 12 HEARD 13 H. JONES 14 WOODMAN 15 SING
16 SIMPSON 17 COCKBURN 18 AMUDA 19 STAFFORD 20 BOAG 21 S. JONES 22 HENDY 23 METCALFE
Quins v Sale
Sale won a penalty, but lost the following line-out. The immediate result of that error was Quins’ possession for the next four minutes, including an accurate line-out. Sharks’ attempt to clear their 22 proved laboured, play-options and ball-control questionable.
On eight minutes Alex Callender was over the line, but a tiny forward pass in the build-up spoiled the effect. Quins drove the Sale pack off an attacking scrum; Lucy Packer fed Lisa Neumann on the burst, but Sophie Hopkins thumped her down. Sale defended bravely, finally forcing a knock- on on the line.
Claudia Pena slipped two tackles to regain momentum, but Silvia Turani lost posserssion as she drove over the line. Sale countered in goal, but, rather significantly, an anxious pair of hands dropped an accurate pass.
It took Quins fifteen minutes to post their first score, Connie Powell doing the job, helped by a gentle nudge from Jade Konkel.
At this stage the neutral had to question the number of Quins’ errors. All that the Sharks had to offer by now was determined defence. 7-0
Briefly they entered the Quins’ half, via a scrum free-kick, but they were immediately penalised for not releasing as Ellie Kildunne countered.
There now followed a period of constant Quins’ pressure, led by the two flankers, Alex Callender and Nicole Wythe. Even a relieving kick from Beatrice Rigoni failed tor find touch, a vital need for the defenders. In the 22nd minute that Turani made up for her earlier miss. Already the game was painful to watch; it looked so unequal. 14-0
Now Sharks built their longest passage yet, still inside their own half. But a Callender challenge stopped them.
On the half-hour Sale at last crossed the Quins’ 10-metre line in possession. Holly Thorpe made a good run, then another. But two penalties against undid the good work; Callender once more the cause of disruption.
Quins added one more try before the break. Powell’s third line-out throw in succession was the straight one, and Wythe had her second.
Half-time 19-0
Sale restarted promisingly, but as the ball came down the line, the backs were lying very flat, and the ball was dropped. Sharks won a line-out, but the half-back link inexplicably failed to function.
Kildunne’s first really scintillating run left one defender to beat, but there was Powell to take a scoring pass and finish under the posts. 26-0 plus the bonus. A moment later they were over 30, thanks to Wythe’s second offering.
Personnel changes brought new life to the visitors. Harry Walbaum was in the right place to deny Lucy Sams a first try as she drove over the line. ‘Held up’, once again.
Now Quins made proper use of the ball, carrying from deep defence to beyond Sale’s 10-metre line in a single move.
It was symptomatic of Sale’s plight that, when they had the option of line-out or scrum close to their line, it took earnest discussion to reach a decision.
Laura Delgado added a sixth try as the clock wound down. Strange how the forwards were dominating the score-sheet: Powell 2, Turani, Wythe 2 and Delgado.
I’m pleased to report that Sofia Stefan did manage to post a score for the Sharks; she sniped round the side and was over.
Result: Quins 38 Sale 7
Player of the Match: Alex Callender
Afterthoughts
For the second time Quins opted for a 6/2 split. Though Ross Chisholm revealed his thinking, he failed to explain what happens when a back is injured. Few sides have forwards able to operate out behind with complete confidence. He underlined the tightness of the competition, how the loss of the odd point here or there could make a telling difference. None of what he said validated that selection.
Quins have manged to uncover yet another stentorian male to trumpet their every success over the PA.
For Sale, tiny features like the first and second latch by supporting forwards need attention; all too often they lost possession. An attacking line-out failed because the ensuing maul wasn’t built tightly enough; another 5 or 7 points lost.
Exeter Chiefs v Loughborough Lightning
It’s worrying times for Lightning again. They can’t really blame injuries and absences for their position; every club knows them. Perhaps we shouldn’t expect them to beat the only unbeaten side away from home, but even Trailfinders’ result against the double champions shows an 8- point advantage.
I’ll be happy to praise Chiefs’ achievements when a majority of their starting XV consists of EQPs.
Leicester Tigers v Bristol Bears
Tigers were trampled underfoot by a side desperate to put earlier failures behind them. England’s men were distraught at leaking 40 points at home; and Tigers’ 62 at Welford Road?
Half-time 7-36
Results:
Saturday 9 November:
Leicester Tigers 7 Bristol Bears 62
Trailfinders 19 Gloucester-Hartpury 32
Sunday 10 November:
Harlequins 38 Sale Sharks 7
Exeter Chiefs 40 Loughborough Lightning 19
Table P W B Pts
Exeter Chiefs 6 6 4 28
Glos-Pury 6 4 6 22
Quins 6 4 5 21
Saracens 5 4 4 20
Bristol Bears 6 3 4 16
Trailfinders 5 2 3 11
Lightning 5 1 4 7
Tigers 5 0 1 1
Sharks 5 0 0 0
Note: once more the table doesn’t tell the whole truth. Sarries sat this cold weekend out.
