Netherlands triumph at Waterloo
The Netherlands won the European Trophy today, and achieved it in a style befitting a country that for centuries has had a reputation for building seawalls to keep out everything nature could throw at them. Following on from that tradition their women’s XV have built an orange wall that nothing in Europe’s second tier can breech.
Published by John Birch, November 2nd, 2014
5 minute read
Photo: Yvette Gito
The only points the Dutch conceded on this week’s European Trophy came in the opening minutes of the final when Belgium successfully converted a penalty. It was an advantage that was short-lived for the Dutch, despite being a player down as a result of the penalty, roared back to take the lead minutes later with a converted try.
Belgium held out for the rest of the half, but two minutes into the second half had one of their flankers sent to the bin, and immediately conceded a second try.
With a nine point lead the Dutch now settled back into a defence that has proved invincible in recent weeks. Despite the Dutch dropping down to 13 players for a period there was simply no way through for the Belgian team, who hammered continually on the orange wall, but rarely made it into their opponents 22 never mind threatening the line.
Above all it was an immense display by the Dutch pack, with prop Sylke Haverkorn in particular having a standout performance. After her memorable try against Switzerland on Wednesday – scattering defenders like so many skittles - she nearly did the same against Belgium in the first half, while in the second she was everywhere in defence and a constant threat with ball in hand as well.
As the clock ran down the Dutch moved back onto the attack, ending the game on the Belgian five metre line.
Netherlands are now officially Europe’s 8th ranked women’s XVs team, a ranking fully justified after 240 minutes of international rugby, against Sweden, Switzerland and Belgium, when they have failed to concede a single try. If there were a weakness to the team it is that this has been largely achieved through the work of the forwards – perhaps not too surprising as talented backs are quickly hovered up by the NRB’s professional sevens programme. One if left wondering what the Dutch could achieve if their sevens stars were released to the XVs squad and whether, if they had XVs programme at least like that of Spain, World Cup qualification in 2017 would be possible.
The third-place play-off between Switzerland and Russia which preceded the final proved to be an enthralling game. Played on a sunny autumnal morning, but with a strong wind blowing with increasing force across the ground the game brought together two teams who had never played each other before.
Purists would say that the game was full of errors – as indeed it was – but this did not distract from the entertainment provided by two different but very well matched teams. Russia had first blood, with the Swiss sevens-style tackling (as it had been against the Dutch) again too high to stop the larger opponents, but unlike the semi-final they recovered quickly as their talented backline demonstrated superior handling technique in comparison with the Russians, and by midway through the first half they were in the lead. All in all the lead changed hands four times in the opening forty minutes with Switzerland leading 19-14 at the break.
Russia had the advantage of the strengthening wind in the second half – a wind that seemed to discourage the Swiss from taking several opportunities to extend their lead from what might normally have been very kickable penalties. Certainly their decision to run every penalty failed to produce any points and as they seemed to tire the Russians increasingly came back into the game. By midway through the half two Russian tries meant that the lead had changed hands again, with Russia now 24-19 ahead.
It was not a lead that lasted long as the Swiss battled back, with the help of a Russian yellow card, to tie the scores at 24-24. That looked like being the final score until the final minute when repeated infringements resulted in Russia having the same advantage for what was to be a long final play, which – despite heroic Swiss defending - ended in Russia’s winning try.
So not a classic game, but a thoroughly entertaining one, made all the more so by an excellent performance by Portuguese referee Filipa Jales who not only dealt with two teams speaking up to four different languages faultlessly, but also kept the game flowing.