Edinburgh, capital of all it surveys
Celtic Challenge – First round, The Hive, Edinburgh
It proved to be significant that Lindsey Smith, the new Warriors coach, had only two weeks to prepare her side.
ER were the favourites, but GW rightly took the lead. They marched forward at the first scrum, then a cross-kick bounced neatly into Sky Phimister’s grasp, and she was away. 0-7 Lisa Martin then added a penalty to her conversion. 0-10
ER got their clock ticking when Hannah Walker made an initial break, then escsped another trap to stride over. (7-10) From there ER dominated play. Recycling quickly, they were happy to spread the ball wide. One long pass tempted the defence into an interception, but Walker took hold and was in for her second. Lucy MacRae converted well. 14-10
On the half-hour another clean line-out led to a try by skipper Alex Stewart. 19-10
A quite magnificent move followed. The ER backs started with a well-executed loop, deft hands forced gaps, and Lucia Scott was the beneficiary. 24-10 and a bonus-point. The game was already running away from the visitors. An over optimisitic off-load in attack meant they were ill positioned to face a counter. More pacy handling, and it was Ciron Bell’s turn to score. 31-10
With time already up, MacRae decided on a penalty to add to a commanding lead.
Half-time 34-10
It was vital for GW to regain their early dominance; there was a long tournament ahead.
But no, the ER backs were too fast, too knowing. Walker made another break and fed Bell for her
second try. Now.only the GW set-scrum was outperforming its opposition. 39-10
post.
Hannah Ramsay, one of ER’s outstanding players, was the first to be substituted. The next
moment, GW had a comeback try. The referee needed a second opinion from his AR, but for once
it was not a ‘held-up’ decision – good! 39-15. Briar McNamara’s conversion pranged back off a
ER found more space, won a penalty near the line, and Shona Campbell from GB Sevens tapped
and was over all on her own. (44-15) Another thrilling move saw enough space created for Walker
to claim her hat-trick, now on the left. 49-15
GW had an encouraging attack in the last ten: McNamara made a burst through the middle, but
Phimister couldn’t quite get past Campbell. The pack supported well, forcing ER to carry over
their own line. But they couldn’t reap the benefit. They weren’t to gain a try-bonus point.
Players were tiring, but not Faye Sutherland, who ran 50 metres from the back of a defensive
scrum. The teenage prop Talei Tawake profited, driving over from an attacking line-out. 56-15.
In the last play of the evening, Sutherland repeated her trick, from a bit nearer the line, and this
time she crossed for a final try.
Result: Edinburgh Rugby 61 Glasgow Warriors 15 Player of the Match: Hannah Walker
Teams:
Edinburgh Rugby
15 Lucia Scott (Gloucester Hartpury), 14 Ciron Bell (Loughborough Lightning), 13 Holly McIntyre
(University of Edinburgh), 12 Lucy MacRae (University of Edinburgh), 11 Hannah Walker
(University of Edinburgh), 10 Hannah Ramsay (University of Edinburgh), 9 Rhea Clarke (University
of Edinburgh), 1 Alison Wilson (Heriot’s), 2 Aila Ronald (University of Edinburgh), 3 Molly Poolman
(Watsonian), 4 Adelle Ferrie (Corstorphine Cougars), 5 Natasha Logan (University of Edinburgh), 6
Merryn Gunderson (Corstorphine Cougars), 7 Alex Stewart ((captain, Corstorphine Cougars), 8
Samoanther Taganekurukuru (Stirling County)
16 Karis Craig (Watsonian), 17 Talei Tawake (Watsonians), 18 Hannah McMahon (University of
Edinburgh), 19 L Christie (Newcastle University), 20 Faye Sutherland (Corstorphine Cougars), 21
Shona Campbell (GB Sevens), 22 Sarah Denholm (Ealing Trailfinders), 23 Giselle Chicot
(Watsonian).
Glasgow Warriors
15 Roma Fraser (Hillhead Jordanhill), 14 Sky Phimister (Stirling County), 13
Orla Proctor (Harlequins), 12 Lisa Martin (Corstorphine Cougars), 11 G Deane (Loughborough
Lightning), 10 Ceitidh Ainsworth (Stirling County), 9 Maia McDonald (Exeter Chiefs), 1 Ailie Tucker
(captain, Watsonians), 2 Aicha Sutcliffe (Stirling County), 3 Katie Lindsay (Corstorphine Cougars),
4 Holland Bogan (Stirling County), 5 Kate Yeomans (Hillhead Jordanhill), 6 Eilidh MacGilvray
(Highland), 7 Emily Coubrough (University of Edinburgh), 8 Freya Walker (Watsonians)
16 Megan Hyland (Garioch), 17 Popph Clarkson (Biggar), 18 Alex Ward (Garioch), 19 Aisha
Zameer (University of Strathclyde), 20 Erinn Foley (Hillhead Jordanhill), 21 Mary Nelson
(Watsonians), 22 Poppy Mellanby (Biggar), 23 Briar McNamara (Watsonians)
Afterthoughts
ER had the edge all over the park; just the opening ten minutes caused worries. The backs look capsble of worrying all the other sides.
The presence of so many university players was a reminder of the early days, when the majority of women players were students. But the sprinkling of PWR club players was a sign of the times.
The CC has become the only tournament available free-to-air for every match.
Lindsey Smith took over at Scotstoun in November, when Chris Laidlaw moved south to join Quins’ coaching staff; not the most propitious time for such a move.
