Saracens lead the way in English Premiership

Saracens 32 Darlington Mowden Park Sharks 19

Darlington (DMP) took the long trip south to take on current league leaders Saracens, and in an exhilarating match, pushed Saracens close with the game ending 32-19.

Saracens league momentum continued early on when dominance in the scrum, founded on good work by young starting debutant prop Mica Evans and Kerrie Anne Craddock, allowed another starting debutant, centre Kay Rees possession on the Darlington 22m line. Rees powerful surge, carrying two players with her over the line, gave the Saracens the first score. 5-0.

Cheap Saracens penalties allowed DMP to build pressure and the Sharks powerfully built driving maul was a constant threat. However, resolute Saracens defence rose to the challenge. Perfect handling from both the Saracens backs and forwards allowed dynamo hooker Kat Evans some space and she burst down the flank, rounding the winger demonstrating great speed and finishing ability, to cross over to take the score to 10-0.

The continuity of the Saracens game, impressive to watch at times, gave scores for both full back Charlie Goode and prop Kerrie Anne- Craddock, who pleased the crowd with her show and go for her try. However, all four conversions were missed, which were to prove costly in the next fifteen minutes of play.

DMPs back row of Tamara Taylor, Sophie Spence and Sally Austin worked tirelessly and began to cut the space down for the firing Saracens backline in which Kay Rees continued to impress throughout. Combined with the excellent kicking of the returning Katy McLean and the terrific lineout founded on the jumping of Taylor and the towering Ariba Chintoh, DMP found themselves right back in the game. Once again a powerful driving maul gave McLean a gap and she needed no second invitation to sidestep the covering defence and touchdown for her first score of the day, to finish the first half 20-5.

DMP finished the first half well and started the second half better; scoring immediately from the kick off, when McLean cleverly read an ambitious Saracens pass in their own 22m area. Racing away and converting her own score, DMP suddenly found themselves 20-12 a drift with still an entire second half to play. Saracens continued to play quick tempo rugby with the forwards and backs interlinking superbly throughout, however with a certain try in their sights right on the DMP line, Jennifer Edwards the DMP winger, caught hold of a final pass and demonstrated blistering speed and a wonderful finishing ability to race the full field and to score under the posts. McLean converted and DMP were now only 20-19 behind.

Saracens showed terrific composure to keep their heads in a turbulent ten minutes of rugby and keeping the ball upfront took the game back to DMP in a physical ten minutes of rugby. Led by the fresh legs of Leslie Cripps and Claire Horgan, Saracens sieged the DMP line phase after phase. Charges by the ever-present combination of Morley, Alphonsi and skipper Green, Horgan eventually arose from the pile of the bodies for Saracens fifth score of the game. Brown made no mistake with the extras and gave Saracens some breathing space, 27-19.

DMP continued to play a territory game with half-backs Emma Lloyd and McLean really working well to control proceedings. However, the strong counter attacking abilities of the Saracens back three, Ama Okafar, Louise Meadows and Charlie Goode, relieved any DMP pressure. Eventually a strong counter attack created the space for the excellent Alphonsi to break the line and link with her backrow club and England colleague Hannah Gallagher, and Gallagher continued her scoring spree for the season, to race away and score in the corner. In a remarkable game, the score finished 32-19.

Game stats and team listhere

Richmond 66 Lichfield 0

Having beaten Richmond handsomely in their last meeting and having seen five of their squad capped for England against France last week, Lichfield had good cause for optimism as they travelled to Richmond Athletic Ground.

Richmond held the territorial advantage in the early exchanges, but a Lichfield interception 10 minutes into the game allowed them to break from deep in their own 22. It took an excellent chase and tackle from Richmond winger Barbara Pla Vegue to thwart what was to be Lichfields only try-scoring opportunity. Shortly afterwards, Lichfield had a second opportunity to score first when the Richmond defence was caught offside, but the penalty kick was missed by Emily Scarratt.

Thereafter, Richmond slowly took control of possession and territory, with fly-half Rachael Burford controlling the game with some intelligent and well-executed kicks. Lichfields defences were eventually breached by a great run from Pla Vegue, who beat several defenders to score in the corner (5-0, 18 mins). A second Richmond try followed quickly afterwards when Richmond pulled the Lichfield defence to the right before quickly switching play to the left where Pla Vegue was waiting to pounce again. An excellent kick from Abi Chamberlain added the extra points (12-0, 24 mins).

Richmonds forwards had been quietly efficient for most if the first half, with Rowena Burnfield and Becky Essex controlling the lineouts and new-comer Lindsay Wheeler doing some impressive work. But when Lichfield were penalised for pulling down a maul that had formed from a lineout on their 5-metre line, Richmonds pack saw the opportunity to enter the limelight and chose to scrummage. Their execution was clinical and No. 8 Nik Houle touched-down for the push-over try. Another difficult conversion from Chamberlain made the score 19-0 (32 mins).

Richmond scored two more tries before half-time, first when a pass from Lynne Cantwell opened up the Lichfield defence for Amy Turner to score (24-0) and again after Chamberlain and Essex combined in a skilful passing move that was finished off by Burford (29-0).

After the break, Richmond continued to threaten Lichfields line with an adept pass out of a tackle from Jo OSullivan finding Essex running onto the ball and over the try line at pace (34-0, 42 mins). Fullback Berta Garcia further added to the score, forcing her way over the line without needing the help of Chamberlain who was unmarked on the wing outside her (39-0, 60 mins). Shortly afterwards, Houle powered over the line to score her second try, which was converted by Chamberlain (46-0, 62 mins). Immediately after scoring from a flowing move (51-0), OSullivan was replaced by Eli Martinez, who promptly scored herself (56-0). Pla Vegue completed her hat-trick (61-0) before Alex Matthews bulldozed her way over the line to make the final score 66-0.

Game stats and team listhere

Wasps 29 v Bristol 25

Wasps and Bristol battled out in another close match which up until the last minute could have gone either way with Wasps fighting back from behind to take the win.

Bristol started the game quickly with backrow Marlie Packer making a break from an inside pass from Kim Oliver. Bristol crept up into Wasps 22 and a grubber through almost found space behind the Wasps defensive back line, but bounced dead to relieve the pressure. Wanting to gain points from the early period of dominance Bristol opted to kick a penalty, but Kim Oliver sent the ball wide on this occasion.

Wasps then gained momentum with breaks from Sarah McKenna and Liz Riley to threaten Bristol, despite good linking play and support from the Wasps backs, Bristol cleverly counter rucked when Wasps players were isolated to turn the ball over. Wasps had a chance to take 3 points from a penalty kick but also didnt convert in the windy conditions. The score remained 0-0 with 20 minutes gone.

Against the run of play Bristol made a break and scored down the right wing, second row Kate Newton getting the final touch and the first points on the board. This gave Bristol confidence as they scored again straight away from the kick off, Marlie Packer making a break and recycling the ball out wide then to Sophie Hemming who cut back in to score, to put Bristol 0-10 up.

Wasps got a try back before half time, with Michaela Staniford breaking through Bristols defence and fending off the cover defence to keep the score close at 5-10 going into half time.

The second half continued as the first finished with plenty of tries from both teams. Bristol played the rugby in the first 20 minutes maintaining pressure in the Wasps 22. Winger Sally Tuson scored from a counter attack and Kim Oliver from a scrum in the 22. With Bristol 5-20 up Wasps could have let the game get away from them but they dug in for the last 20 minutes.

From a loose ball, kicked on by Wasps, Michaela scored her second try of the day, and was also involved in the third try as she sliced through to make a break on the left wing, with Davina Monteiro finishing. Another try, this from time Geri Thomas, within a brilliant 10 minute period from Wasps was successfully converted by Hannah Edwards to put Wasps in front for the first time 22-20.

Bristol retaliated with a try from speedy winger Becky Hughes to put them back in front 22-25. Wasps were determined to get back in front and scored again following an impressive run from Natasha Brennan up one wing, and getting the ball out to Liz Riley on the other wing to score the winning and final try of the game. Hannah Edwards again converted to bring Wasps ahead 29-25.

Both teams were determined to close out the game, Bristol coming very close through their tough forward pack and Wasps Hannah Edwards showing her evasive running to make a 40m break but Bristols cover defence stopping the next phase short of the line.

Game stats and team listhere

OA Saints 0 Worcester 74

After a weekend off from the Premiership both teams were raring to get back on track with this fixture. Both sides made strong starts with some excellent running from both back lines with Worcester getting the first score of the afternoon from full back Sam Bree. Ceri Large converted to make the score 0-7 to the visitors. The Saints fought back strongly with some good forward work at the back off the ruck from back row Caroline Pretty and prop Ellisha Dee before Worcester worked the turnover with a try from scrum half Sarah Guest. Large again made the conversion to make it 0-14. With some quick ruck ball the Saints were able to make space for new fly half Nicky Cameron to release centre Simone Shepherd and full back Kate Barnes into space. The Saints couldnt make use of the possession and with another break from Worcester fullback Bree she touched down again under the posts with Large converting to make the score 0-21.

The Saints lost two of their starting backline in the next 5 minutes with winger Alice Finn and Scotland centre Caroline Collie being substituted. Collie, with a more serious injury, was taken to hospital for treatment and is now making a full recovery. Due to the injuries, the match was moved onto the next pitch with Saints centre Leah Carey making her backs debut at centre. The Saints, still getting used to the rearranged backline, took a little while to get firing whilst Worcester found more tries from Naomi Henry, Joanne Watmore and Kat Merchant. Large converted all 3 to make the score 0-42. The Saints had an improved period of defence with some excellent tackles from Emma Cramphorn and Joanne Whitten and didnt concede any points in the last 15 minutes of the half.

The second half re-started with the wind in Worcesters favour which fly half Large and full back Nolli Waterman made full use of with some good return kicking. After another Saints injury, this time to flanker/no 8 France U20 player Esther Wiels, both teams moved pitch again to the main pitch and continued the game for a 3rd time. This meant another re-jiggle in the back line for the Saints, with second row Natasha Bullock moving to the centre, also for her backs debut. Worcester had more of the possession and gained momentum to score further tries from wingers Mary Anne Gittens, Henry and replacement winger Thompson, second row Rhiannon Watkins and 2 from centre Watmore.

The Saints battled to the end and with difficult circumstances in terms of injury and team changes, and will take the positives forward into next weeks game with Saracens at home on the 20th of November.

Game stats and team listhere