Biggleswade RUFC

Biggleswade Ladies 17 - 50 Royston Ladies

Biggleswade Ladies wrapped up their first season at NC2 league level with a disappointing result on Sunday, but overall a creditable 4th place finish.

Biggy are at their best playing 15-a-side rugby, so dropping players to match Royston’s depleted numbers proved challenging, especially as Royston’s pacy backs had the skills to exploit the gaps and rack up a big score.

Royston raced ahead after a sluggish start from Biggy, with the visitors No 10 Jaz Devereux’s angled runs netting her a bagful of tries.

Biggy suffered a further blow when their own influential fly half Charlie Field left the field injured after just 15 minutes. But they started to focus and put pressure on the opposition, Bex Young winning useful line out ball with a long kick to the corner. Katie Smith added to her season’s try tally with a quick reaction to a loose opposition line-out throw. 

Nat Rundle put in a typically determined performance at hooker, collecting a wayward bouncing ball to make a break down the wing.

Biggy’s next try was a corker: Hazel Cole broke out of Biggy’s half perilously close to the sideline but stepped in and offloaded in the tackle to supporting runner Gina Roby, who repeated the offloading skills, allowing Biggy to spread the ball across the whole pitch for Becca Maxwell to stretch her legs and run in.

Biggleswade continued to have the better possession for the latter part of the half, with captain Lauren Poole gaining big yards with some fearsome runs. But it was Royston who nicked another on the stroke of half time, with the score at 12-24.

After the break, Biggy just couldn’t take control of the game. Despite good defence, Royston were able once more to score a series of breakaway tries, despite some tireless chasing from the home side.

Biggy did add some more points to rescue their pride, with a great line out and maul feeding Smith for her second try of the day. 

Royston deserve credit for a very strong performance, outsmarting and outplaying Biggy, but the loss failed to dampen Biggleswade’s spirits in their end of season after-match celebrations.

The team thanked captain Lauren Poole for her inspirational leadership and vice-captain Sophie Earls for her dedication in keeping the team running. Lauren is moving on to a higher level of rugby and Soph is retiring through injury, and they will both be sorely missed. 

FORWARD OF THE MATCH: Nat Rundle (Sponsored by Shuttleworth)

BACK OF THE MATCH: Bex Young (Sponsored by The Green Landlady)

SPECIAL MENTIONS: Newbies Karen Dixon and Christine Wright, both playing in their first ever match.

TEAM PHOTO: Carl Wolfenden