English women’s Premiership round-up

(Action from OA Saints against DMP Sharks from the weekend. More HERE)

Published by Scrum Queens, October 25th, 2011

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English women’s Premiership round-up

Saracens cemented their place at the top of the English women's Premiership at the weekend with a strong win at home against London rivals Wasps. Richmond are second after a 10-try win over Bristol and Lichfield make up the other side in the top four after their draw with Worcester. OA Saints are still looking for their first win of the season.

Saracens 34 Wasps 12

Perfect autumnal weather provided the setting for Saracens to defeat Wasps in the top of the table London derby.

Saracens came out of the blocks firing with their explosive backrow of Maggie Alphonsi, Sonia Green and Hannah Gallagher at the top of their games. Leah Morley at second row, who won player of the match and was outstanding throughout, eventually linked with Gallagher who took a sublime attacking line for her first score of the day within six minutes. Saracens continued to keep possession with their pack controlling things well, eventually April Brown at 10 found some space to put Alphonsi away and she linked well with the supporting Gallagher who sidestepped through for her second. Brown added the extras.

Wasps now awake from their journey north, began to pose an increasing threat and should have got on the scoresheet immediately when fly half Sarah Mckenna, made a scintillating break through the midfield just to be stopped just short of the line by some fine tackling by fullback Charlie Goode.

The momentum continued Saracens way, when wing Louise Meadows, on her first start of the season, worked hard supporting a fine line break by creative centre Sarah Alma and finished well to take the score to 17-0 within as many minutes.

Wasps looked to get back into the game through the hard running of Michaela Staniford and Claire Purdy, who both had strong performances, however a few tough decisions didn't go the way of gold and black and any comeback was halted short.

Alphonsi not to be outshone by her backrow colleagues, took the first of her hat trick, finishing off a sweeping team move that ended with her trademark destructive hand off brushing off easily the last defender. Brown again added the extras to take the score at half time to 24-0.

A determined 2nd half performance by Wasps led by a dominating driving maul and the territorial game of replacement Shelley Ray, allowed them to put a temporary halt to Saracens attacking force. However, two further scores from the ever imposing and hugely impressive Alphonsi, ensured Saracens got the bonus point and a commanding lead of 34 points. Wasps were to have the final say and never let their heads drop, working incredibly hard for two strong tries from Natasha Brennan and Hannah Edwards, showing the signs of just how dangerous as a side they can be.

View match details from this gamehere

Richmond 60 Bristol 0

Richmond were far too good for Bristol in their home victory at the weekend, running in 10 tries in a comfortable win.

Early on, Bristol retained possession well keeping Richmond pinned in their own 22 for the first 10 minutes. However, it was Richmond who took their chances better capitalising on a few early errors. Richmond's new Spanish arrival, Barbara Pla Vegue, opened the scoring following a great break aided by hard work in the tight from the Richmond pack. The try was converted by Abi Chamberlain.

An unfortunate injury to the Bristols Lucy Pascall was not enough to knock Bristol's confidence and they fought back valiantly. Strong in the pack and spoiling some of Richmonds ball they appeared to be in the ascendancy as they controlled possession. Some excellent tactical kicking from Kim Oliver kept Richmond under pressure, but their mini revival didnt last as Rowena Burnfield stormed over the line to take Richmond's second try of the day.

Clare Molloy took a team yellow card midway through the first half, hampering Bristols efforts further. Following breaks from Alex Matthews and Becky Essex, Pla Vegue went over for her second try. Sophie Nicholas then dotted down after a break down the right wing following a beautifully weighted pass from hooker Amy Turner. Chamberlain took the spares.

Richmond's fifth try came on the halftime whistle when Rachael Burford looked certain to take the points, but opted to put in a long pass 2 metres from the line to put prop Maria Ribera Garcia in under the posts. Again, Chamberlain was successful with the conversion.

Although Bristol battled hard in the first 10 minutes of the second half, Richmond were by now unstoppable. The scrum was solid and the lineout operating far more effectively than it has in recent weeks; the work rate in the front five was the key to Richmonds success.

Burnfield then crossed for another followed by Pla Vegue who completed her hatrick. The 8th try of the day fell to Nicholas following some excellent backrow link play, this time from Susie Brown and Libby Povey, before the ball was ably spun out wide by the Richmond backs.

Pla Vegue completed a stunning display having a hand in the next try by setting up Burford to cross the line. To top and tail the Spanish inquisition suffered by the Bristol fleet, Berta Garcia Alonso crossed the line for Richmond's tenth and final try, with the final points falling to Chamberlain's boot.

View match details from this gamehere

OA Saints 15 DMP Sharks 39

The Old Albanian Saints came into this Premiership weekend with a very positive attitude after a convincing win against the Army last weekend and were looking for their first Premiership victory of the season.

With a strong wind in their favour, the Sharks had the better start scoring after just two minutes with a try from Sharks full back Ashleigh Wright. Sam Jaimeson missed the conversion to leave the score 0-5 to the Sharks.

The Saints found it difficult to clear their lines with the strong wind but held firm with some strong tackling from prop Elisha Dee and back row Caroline Pretty and captain Leah Carey setting the standard.

The Saints were put under pressure with some tidy kicking from the Sharks half backs but managed to withstand the pressure with some good kicking from centre Caroline Collie. The Sharks however managed to convert territory into points when hooker Jaimeson snuck over the line from the back of a ruck finding a gap in the Saints defence. Jaimeson converted her own try to make the score 0-12.

The Saints began the restart pinned in their own half again but showed good phases of running play from forwards Esther Wiel and Kat Brinsley before releasing the backs into space. Then a spot of poor discipline from the Saints gave the Sharks a penalty right in front of the posts which Jaimeson converted to make the score 0-15.

The Sharks received the restart well and picked a hole in the Saints defence to put their flanker Ruth Nash through for a try which Jaimeson again converted to make the score 0-22.

The Saints maintained their fighting spirit from the restart and continued to steal ball on the floor at the ruck area but were unlucky to give away another penalty which after a quick tap penalty resulted in Sharks fly half Georgia Roberts scoring under the posts. Jaimeson converted again to leave the half time score 0-29 to the Sharks.

The Sharks received the restart and worked their way down into the Saints 22 where after some strong defence by OAs, Sharks number 8 Sophie Spence snuck over the line with a neat pick and go. Jaimeson missed the conversion to leave the score 0-34.

With the wind in their favour, the Saints pinned the Sharks back in their own 22 on several occasions through excellent kicking from Collie and OAs fly half Emma Nichol. The Saints back 3 put some excellent pressure on the Sharks back line to ensure they struggled to clear the lines, as the Saints had in the first half.

Saints used the field position well to keep the pressure on the Sharks and force a penalty which Saints scrum half Nicky Cameron took quickly seeing space and feeding centre Zoe Warren on a crash ball right in front of the posts. With quick recycling of the ball from the Saints forwards, prop Dee picked up and dove over the line to make the score 5-34. Centre Collie converted to make the score 7-34. Collie slotted a difficult penalty kick soon after to make the score 10-34.

The Saints made a few changes in their backline and with several players in new positions did well to keep the Saints pinned back with kicks from Collie and Cameron.

The Sharks got the next score when after a solid scrum they fed centre Jennifer Edwards who with some quick footwork to get around the Saints defence scored to make the score10-39.

The Saints had the last score with an excellent lineout throw from substitute hooker Emma Cramphorn, Saints prop Dee took it one handed and ran over 3 players to make it 2 tries for the birthday girl. Collie failed to make the conversion leaving the score 15-39 to the Sharks.

View match details from this gamehereWorcester 15 Lichfield 15

Local derbies between these two rivals are always closely contested, but Worcester came away the more pleases side after Lichfield dominated both possession and territory.

It was a fiiercely contested game which saw both sides playing with immense determination and passion.

The game started with Lichfields forwards putting pressure on the Worcester defence and it seemed as though the Worcester pack would in for a torturous afternoon. It came as no surprise that Lichfield were awarded a penalty after four minutes and Emily Scarrat took the points.

The Lichfield forwards continued to pound Worcester and the visitors were struggling to move away from their 5 metre line. It was 14 minutes before Worcester got their hands on ball, only to concede possession for H. Mills to run through unopposed to increase Lichfields lead. Emily Scarrat was not able to convert and with their domination of the territory, Lichfield will be disappointed not to have built early on on their 8-0 lead.

Worcester rallied briefly and looked dangerous when running the ball through their speedy backs and calm dogged defending and patience paid dividends on 22 minutes when Jo Watmore, once more doing sterling work for Worcester in the centre, broke the Lichfield line and gave Naomi Henry the opportunity to open the visitors account with a try in the corner. Ceri Large was unable to add the extras.

Possession and territory continued to be dominated by Lichfield but on 33 minutes some excellent work from the visitors captain, Jenny Mills, resulted in the ball being fed to Kat Merchant, who ran the ball in from the half way line. Game back on. Worcester now had a lead that did not seem remotely feasible after 15 minutes.

The second half was more evenly contested and a great deal of the game was contested in midfield with Lichfield full back Rose Jay having a splendid game.

Jo Watmore and Kat Merchant continue to hassle and work hard for Worcester but some excellent work from Lichfield gave Jay her just rewards with a try under the posts that Emily Scarrat had no problem in converting.

It looked as though Worcester would be leaving with a losing bonus point but once again there never say die attitude came through on 72 minutes, Kat Merchant scoring a breakaway try, but again Ceri Large was unable to secure the extras and the game.

In the final minute of the game Lichfield looked as though they would score the winning try, but replacement full back Mary Anne Gittings somehow managed to force a knock on the line.

View match details from this gamehere

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