Biggleswade Ladies 26-46 Welwyn Ladies
Biggy Ladies kicked off the season early with a hard-fought friendly against Welwyn.
The home team fielded seven players new to the club, five of which were playing their first ever game of rugby.
Biggy started in top gear, getting good ball out of set pieces to unleash pacy attacks from the backs. Returning player Tash Cooper almost scored after Biggleswade moved the ball through the hands to the wing. Instead, it was Lauren Poole who ran over four minutes in with a neat change of direction to create a gap. Poole scored her second try after a blisteringly fast sprint set up by new centre partner Sophie Earls, who looked a natural in her first game as a back.
Welwyn showed their mettle stealing down the left wing to score their first try. Biggy went down to 14 after a sin-binning, and Welwyn exploited the overlap well to score again when Biggy were slow to set for a penalty.
Tash Cooper, showing sharp side-stepping skills, made more ground-gaining runs, before Poole completed a brilliant hat-trick after Field and Earls combined with quick passing and offloads.
A second Biggleswade yellow meant they were having to work extra hard to shut down Welwyn attacks. Just before half time, with the score at 19-10, Biggy hooker Steph Cooper suffered a serious shoulder injury and the game had to be moved to the adjacent pitch. Biggleswade seemed to lose focus as Welwyn intensified their efforts, running in two tries to take the lead. See-saw pressure continued, with Gina Roby launching attacks after expertly collecting the high ball from kick-off on several occasions. Field notched back a Biggleswade try with a kick and chase, collecting her own bouncing ball, scoring and converting (her third kick from four).
The Welwyn squad’s greater experience began to tell, particularly in the breakdown, and two more tries saw the scoreline slipping away. Despite valiant efforts in the final period - with Field almost repeating her previous try before a collision saw her floored on the chase - Welwyn ran in another two tries in the dying minutes.
It was a feisty, crunching game with strong play from both sides, both in attack and defence. Biggy can be proud of their squad of old and new, who put in a resolute shift with real flashes of class.
- Forward of the match was Kelly Hodgson (sponsored by Shefford Dog Walking)
- Back of the match was Tash Cooper (available for sponsorship)
- Player of the match was Sophie Earls (sponsored by LP Soft Tissue Therapist) who smashed it in her first game swapping forward for back life.
- Reaction of the day was spectator Darren Evans, who batted away a ball from a thunderous kick that was heading straight towards baby Jamie’s face. Not all heroes wear capes.
ACTION PHOTOS BY DAVID KAY
