Womens Team

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Darc Tiger
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Darc Tiger »

A pretty strong performance this evening, and a 41-7 victory over the RAF. Though I was a bit thrown off that the game was played in distinct quarters, rather than halves.

The RAF put up a sterner, more organised challenge than we've faced this year so far, and they started well and had us under pressure in the opening 10. But once we got a foothold, we didn't relinquish our grip. I thought they could have exploited our inexperience in the backfield a bit more, but other than that our defence shut them down well. The try we conceded was from a mistake as we tried to play out of our half.

Going forward, I think we took our chances well. Did a lot of damage with hard carries/lines into the heart of the defence, and finding supporting players. Scrum was very good again. Lineout a bit scruffy, again.

Impressive shift from Charlotte Fray coming back into the team, and Amy Orrow looks a strong addition to the backrow. Amy Relf was I think the only player to go the full 80, and had a strong game from 9. Jones and Williams worked well as a pair outside her, too. Couple of cracking finishes from Iavarone and Roberts.

A good evening's work, and keeps our momentum up for the run-in.
No6_Flanker
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Re: Womens Team

Post by No6_Flanker »

Nice summary, thanks Darc Tiger!
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Previously a slower, shorter, less good looking version of Tom Croft.
Hot_Charlie
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Hot_Charlie »

LE18 wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 2:40 pm
Hot_Charlie wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 1:49 pm Such a shame it's at Hinckley and so adjacent to the men's match. Can't be helped I suppose, given the short notice.
From that team sheet we appear to have gained in numbers, are players queuing up to join?
Of the 26, only one was a new player. Given the limited nature of the opportunities and the amateur status of most of the game, there'll be more decent standard players looking for a break.
Darc Tiger
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Darc Tiger »

The club have put out a video with Jade Jones, Zoe Warrington, Fuz and Churchy for International Women's Day, talking about inspirations, challenges and the future of the women's game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ4PlV3R96s
Darc Tiger
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Darc Tiger »

Team's up for the away trip to Barnsley on Saturday. They've been on a decent run of results, pushing them up the table. Hopefully the weather doesn't force a cancellation...

Image

A more typical looking line-up, but Charlotte Fray deservedly retains her spot after impressing against the RAF. Relf continues at 9, inside Ellie Turner. Zoë Evans gets a first start in a month.
Darc Tiger
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Darc Tiger »

Unsurprisingly, the match has been postponed.

That actually means both home and away fixtures with Barnsley have been postponed due to cold weather this season!
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Darc Tiger »

We're playing Bishop Auckland at Welford Road on Sunday at 3pm, and the club are saying its the last one at Welford Road this season. The home game against Barnsley on the 25th is being played at Oval Park.

No idea what's happening for the playoffs. I assumed we'd at least host a semifinal, but maybe the club will try and save money by not playing at WR? I'll try and ask around on Sunday, if I can bump into Vicky after the game perhaps.

Image

Largely the same side named for last week's postponed away trip to Barnsley. Harriet Roberts get a first start on the wing as Zoë Evans drops to the bench, Sam Williams for Tanya Bird at hooker, and Georgia Westwood in place of Georgia Bradley in the engine room.
Farmboy
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Farmboy »

According to RFU https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-a ... 2#fixtures interesting double header next week
Darc Tiger
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Darc Tiger »

Strong performance again today. They couldn't live with the amount of power runners we had, our offloading game, and the speed of ball that gave us. Our strikerate was pretty good too, pushing the clock all the way, 79-0. Though that doesn't really reflect the effort Bishop Auckland put in right to the end. They were camped inside our 22 for a good period near the end of the match, and required some stout defending on our part to keep the clean sheet. They're also one of the few teams I've seen try kicking to exploit our backfield, but they didn't have enough quality to capitalise on it.

Lineout was an improvement on recent matches. Charlotte Fray caught the eye again, and is very much establishing herself since coming back into the side. Dynamic on both sides of the ball. Hattie Roberts made the most of her first outing on the wing with 4 tries. A rangy, powerful runner. 24 more points for Draycott, and she passes 150 points for the season!

The only negative was a nasty looking injury for Kat Turner. Looked like they were treating her right leg/ankle? She was stretchered straight to the ambulance.
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Hot_Charlie »

Tigers had little tackling to do in the first half as every time BA won the ball 12 seemed to hoof it over!

Fray was excellent; certainly seemed a cut above almost anyone on the pitch with her carrying. Good work from the tight five although I think, maybe Turner aside, we're going to have to recruit some bulk into the back row for the Premier 15s.

Good to see another back getting a hat-trick (+1).
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Darc Tiger »

Our flanker options are generally pretty small, though its perhaps easy for the men's game to colour your idea of what a player should look/play like. Richardson and McBrien have been among our best and most consistent players this season. Will have to see how that holds up against stronger opposition.

Richardson in particular is an interesting one, as she was playing 9 in the first half of the season, but I heard she wasn't enjoying the position. She's got genuine gamebreaking ability with the ball and is still very young. I wonder where she'll settle.
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Hot_Charlie »

Darc Tiger wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2023 5:43 pm Our flanker options are generally pretty small, though its perhaps easy for the men's game to colour your idea of what a player should look/play like. Richardson and McBrien have been among our best and most consistent players this season. Will have to see how that holds up against stronger opposition.

Richardson in particular is an interesting one, as she was playing 9 in the first half of the season, but I heard she wasn't enjoying the position. She's got genuine gamebreaking ability with the ball and is still very young. I wonder where she'll settle.
Very much so - both are almost in that "first name on the teamsheet" territory. The only womens' rugby I've watched is either international, Prem 15s or far lower club standard.

Richardson is indeed interesting having moved from 9 (where we have some very experienced and talented options - Relf and now Nye bringing Prem experience). I think my point was more that the back rowers I have seen at the higher end of the womens' still have a bit more bulk - that's far from meant to be a criticism - it'll be interesting to see how we deal with that. :smt001
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Darc Tiger »

Just the postponed fixtures against Barnsley left to play. Unfortunately, Saturday's match clashes with the Bristol game, but if you're not at Welford Road you can come down to Oval Park for free. 1300 KO

Image

Just as I mention Richardson's switch to the backrow, she's back starting at scrumhalf for the first time since mid-January, with Amy Relf at 10 and Lucy Nye off playing for the RAF. Tanya Bird fills in the flanker spot, and with Kat Turner sadly confirmed to have picked up ligament damage, Becky Noon is at 8 for the first time in over a month. Louisa Burgham benefits from the back 3 rotation this week, with Hattie Roberts given a chance to back up last week's quadruple.
Darc Tiger
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Re: Womens Team

Post by Darc Tiger »

Somewhat bizarrely, its been confirmed that the two rearranged fixtures against Barnsley have essentially been condensed into one fixture, with double points on offer. So tomorrow is our last league game, and the title still mathematically on the line, with Cheltenham still on our heels.

Then we'll enter the playoffs, against the South division, which has been won by Bath. Unless something dramatic happens tomorrow, Bath will play Cheltenham, and we will play either Old Albanians or Thurrock on the weekend of April 15th/16th. Then the final will be played on the 29th/30th. Hopefully the 30th, so it doesn't clash the the Red Roses match!

I'll try and find out tomorrow if we're hoping to play the playoffs at WR or not.
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Re: Womens Team

Post by bendy »

You have to say it's a scandalous bit of scheduling to put the ladies kick off at essentially the same time as the men's.

They should have taken advantage of the men's early kick off and played the ladies match at 3pm.
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