By Bethany Gwillam
Premiership Women’s Rugby’s fifth and sixth placed teams met in round 8 at StoneX Stadium. The game began with Saracens showing clear dominance as they battled their way into the lead. However equal points at half time meant Saracens would respond by scoring three tries in the second half, having won it for the home team.
The sun began shining just in time for the match to begin as the fifth and sixth placed PWR teams took to the pitch. The game started in dramatic fashion with either side not able to break the half way point. Possession changed twice before a penalty scrum was given to Loughborough Lightning.
Possession seemed to be a balance between both team until Saracens managed to turn it into domination. The home team were seconds away from gaining their first try of the game as Ella Wyrwas received a tap and go. However, the luck soon disappeared as she made contact with the try line outpost – leading to unsuccessful contact with the ground.
The home team didn’t come to fail with no time to blink as Zoe Harrison powered through the away team, beat three defenders before diving over the line. Half way into the game and Saracens once again saw themselves inching closer to the try line with every pass. Alysha Corrigan soon figured out the weakness for the away team giving her the advantage when she dashed through receiving a pass to dive onto more points.
It wasn’t looking good for the away team as they struggled to break out of their side of the field. On the stroke of the half-time whistle Fran Goldthorp made a close to half-way dash. Saracens saw themselves defending for the first time but with a long pass wide to Scufielf the away team were leveling the score board.
In a dramatic turn of events Lightning were showing the thunder they are capable of when Helen Nelson dominated through Saracens, creating the perfect path for Fran Goldthorp to finish over the run over the try line. Equalling the playing field.
Half time score: 14 – 14
The battle between the teams continued with no clear domination on the pitch. No tries were awarded for what felt like forever until a turn from Saracens highlighted tries were about to be made.
May Campbell was centimeters away from having kicked a successful 50,22, However the ball bounced the opposite side of the flag – leading to a lightning line out. The line out failed and gave the home team some hope until Goldthorp, for the third time, held Saracens up when they were on the try line.
Saracens would take the lead on the 52th-minute mark as McKinley Hunt made no room for prisoners when running past the defence. A penalty kick was also given to home which widened the point gap.
With ten minutes to go the home team saw themselves loose two potential tries for rolling and unplayable ball in maul. That didn’t stop them as with 7 minutes left of play Fancy Bermudez landed over the try line.
Lightning attempted to turn the play around but as the minutes on the clock edged closing to full time the pressure was seen on the pitch – failing to secure any more points until the final whistle was then blown.
SARACENS: 32
TRIES: Tony Harrison(14”) Alysha Corrigan(26) McKinley Hunt (52) Fancy Bermudez (74)
CONVERSIONS: Zoe Harrison (15”) (26) (52) (74)
PENALITIES: 1
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 0
RED CARDS: 0
15. Sarah McKenna 14.Alysha Corrigan 13.Sydney Gregson 12.Emma Hardy 11.Lotte Sharp(C) 10.Zoe Harrison 9.Ella Wyrwas 1.McKinley Hunt 2.May Campbell 3.Kelsey Clifford 4.Georgia Evans 5.Bryony Cleall 6.Gabrielle Senft 7.Sharifa Kasolo 8Marlie Packer(C)
Replacements
16.Brynony Field 17.Akina Gondwe 18.Carmen Tremelling 19.Louise McMillan 20.Joia Bennet 21.Coreen Grant 22. Amelia MacDougall 23.Fancy Bermudez
LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING: 21
TRIES: Krissy Scurfield (35) Fran Goldthrop (37) Alev Kelter (63)
CONVERSIONS: Emily Scarrat (13) (37) (63)
PENALITIES: (59”)
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 0
RED CARDS: 0
15.Helen Nelson 14.Fran Goldthorp 13.Emily Scarratt 12.Alev Kleter 11.Krissy Scurfield 10.Helena Rowland 9.Meg Davey 1.Anne Young 2.Kathryn Treder 3.Isla Curphey 4.Abby Duguid 5.Lili Ives-Campion 6.Hallie Taufoo 7.Kendal Waudby 8.Daisy Hibbert-Jones
Replacements
16.Ellis Martin 17.Amelia Williams 18.Laura Keates 19.Becky Boyd 20.Sadia Kabeya 21.Leia Brebner-Holden 22.Carmela Morral 23.Bulou Mataitoga
