Edinburgh Rugby 7-43 Gwalia Lightning
Gwalia Lightning made it back-to-back wins against Edinburgh Rugby in Round 5 of the Celtic Challenge at the Hive Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The bonus-point win made it two victories over the Scots side during this campaign and a fourth win on the trot against Edinburgh. Gwalia Lightning kept the pressure on reigning champions Wolfhounds with this win and set up a mouthwatering clash when both sides meet in a top of the table clash in Round 6 next weekend.
The young Welsh side produced an impressive and commanding performance away from home in Scotland and were well worth this victory. Lightning brought a physical edge, offloading game and phase-play proved too much for a good Edinburgh side. Prop Maisie Davies and lock Lily Terry crossed or two tries each, and skipper Bryonie King, scrum half Sian Jones, and full back Catherine Richards crossed for the visitors seven tries.
The Lightning headed into this clash only three points behinds the league leaders and with the Irish sides in their sights. The Welsh side dominated the opening exchanges and returning Wales prop Jenni Scoble was held up over the home side’s try line. Wing Courtney Greenway latched onto a deft grubber kick fly half Hughes and looked to have been blocked getting the ball but the officials ruled otherwise.
A stretched Edinburgh defence held firm but the Welsh side would not be denied and Wales prop Davies crashed over for the try after 20 minutes to make it 5-0 to the visitors. Edinburgh then replied after a period pressure after they were awarded a penalty try after Gwalia were ruled to have collapsed a maul to make it 7-5 to the home side. Gwalia openside flanker Anwen Owen was shown yellow and the visitors were down to 14 players.
But Lightning hit back straight away when prop Davies started and finished Gwalia’s second try to put the Welsh side ahead. Fly half Hughes added the conversion to make it 12-7 to Gwalia Lightning at half-time. After the break, Gwalia started the second half as they finished the first with skipper King crashing over after an impressive drive.
Fly half Hughes added the extras to make it 19-7 to the visitors before Wales scrum half Jones latched onto a loose ball from a five metre scrum to stretch Gwalia’s lead. Lock Terry then ran in for a try after a deft offload by captain King to cross the whitewash. Hughes landed the conversion to make it 31-7. Terry crossed for her second try after her charge down and her quick reaction saw her win the race for the touchdown.
Wales international Catherine Richards sealed the win with Gwalia’s seventh try and conversion to cap an impressive victory.
Player of the Match: Maisie Davies (Gwalia Lightning)
Clovers 29-12 Brython Thunder
Brython Thunder fell short and went down to defeat to Irish side Clovers in Round 5 of the Celtic Challenge at Virgin Media Park on Sunday afternoon.
This was the Welsh side’s second of three games on the road and second game against the Irish sides across the Irish Sea. Clovers, like reigning champions, Wolfhounds, have both dominated the Celtic Challenge and this was a double-header for the Irish teams in Cork on Sunday.
After the disappointment of the defeat to Wolfhounds last weekend, Brython were a different proposition and were 12-12 at half-time before the home side pulled away in the second half. Brython were only three points short from pulling off a victory in the first clash between the sides at Cardiff Arms Park. Flanker Jess Rogers, former Wales captain and hooker Rhian Bowden both crossed for tries and Number 8 Branwen Metcalfe produced another impressive performance for Thunder.
Bowden drafted in from Senghenydd Sirens rolled back the years with another all-action performance from the mum of two. The visitors started brightly with wing Seren Singleton a constant threat for Brython Thunder and their scrum proved a real area of dominance. But Thunder lost Welsh international centre Hannah Bluck to a yellow card on the 12th minute and were a player down for ten minutes.
Clovers took full advantage and prop Siobhan McCarthy crashed over from short-range after a period of pressure to make it 5-0 to the home side. Welsh internationals Sisilia Tuipulotu and Number 8 Metcalfe both broke the home side’s defence before the try came that gave the Welsh side the lead. The Thunder backrow then combined with Metcalfe involved and a break by openside flanker Isaac put flanker Rogers in for the try under the posts
Fly half Ffion Williams landed the conversion to make it 7-5 to the Welsh side after half an hour and prop Stella Orrin saved a certain try to get herself under the ball just before half-time. But Clovers crossed for their second try by flanker Annakate Cournane, converted by fly half Caitriona Finn to make it 12-7. Brython hit back straight away when hooker Bowden emerged with the try after a superb driving maul to level the scores. Fly half Williams conversion wideout hit the posts to make 12-all at half time.
After the break, Clovers skipper and scrum half Emily Lane crossed for her side’s third try against the run of play to make it 17-12. Centre Niamh Murphy and full back Aoife Corey crossed for tries for Clovers to secure victory in Cork.
Player of the Match: Caitriona Finn (Clovers)
Wolfhounds 52-26 Glasgow Warriors
Wolfhounds were able to get a strong foothold in the game during the first-half – setting the high tempo and commanding possession – running in six tries and keeping Glasgow scoreless at the interval.
The visitors kicked off and applied some early pressure but Wolfhounds brought some promising attacks to a halt, successfully ripping the ball from Warriors’ hands several times.
Having relinquished possession from the Warriors, the hosts were quickly able to assert their control in the game with Caoimhe Molloy opening the scoring for Wolfhounds and Abby Moyles adding the extras (7-0).
Some skilled interplay between the forwards and the backs brought Wolfhounds thundering towards the whitewash again and it wasn’t long before Erin King grabbed a second score for the hosts, with Moyles’ conversion hitting the posts but still going over the bar (14-0).
The hosts efficiency in attack gave them the upper hand again and were able to stretch their lead as Fiona Tuite ignited the side’s next try as she broke through the defence before the ball found Katie Corrigan who scored, with Moyles adding the extras (21-0).
Wolfhounds continued to dominate proceedings and built on their tally when Linda Djougang secured the bonus point for the hosts (26-0).
Tuite – who looked dangerous whenever in possession of the ball – was next on the scoreboard after producing another scintillating attack, with Moyles slotting the conversion through the posts (33-0).
Wolfhounds were able to grab another score before half-time, with Maeve Og O’Leary crossing the whitewash and Moyles adding the extras (40-0).
HALF-TIME: Wolfhounds 40-0 Glasgow Warriors
Wolfhounds’ relentless form continued in the second-half, as Molloy pounced on a mistake from the Warriors and crashed over the line to score, with Moyles adding the extras (47-0).
Moments later, Eve Higgins launched an attack and was able to evade a tackle with a powerful hand-off, before the centre floated the ball to Vicky Elmes Kinlan who crossed the whitewash (52-0).
There was a shift in momentum for the remainder of the second-half, with Glasgow Warriors mounting a charging attack and claiming their first points on the scoreboard through co-captain Holland Bogan, with Mille Warren adding the extras (52-7).
Warriors continued to rally, building a greater share of possession, and soon claimed their second try of the match through Rianna Darroch who dotted down from close range, with Warren slotting the conversion through the posts (52-14).
The visitors cranked through the gears again and barrelled their way towards the whitewash, with Briar McNamara eventually crossing the whitewash to bring the side close to securing a try bonus point, with Warren nailing another conversion (52-21).
Warriors were rewarded for their endeavours in the second-half, as Sky Phimister scampered into the corner to claim the try bonus point and the last score of the game, with Warren’s conversion hitting the posts (52-26).
Speaking after the match, Glasgow Warriors Women Head Coach Lindsey Smith said: “It was a game of two halves today. The first-half was below our usual standards and Wolfhounds made it very difficult for us. They kept the ball really well and we probably didn’t challenge them enough around the contact area.
“In terms of the second-half, I’m really proud of how the players turned it around. We spoke about playing for pride at the interval and about how we could still come away with a point.
“There were some things we needed to be better at in terms of that contact area and being aggressive off our line but I think that’s what the players did really well in the second-half.”
Player of the Match: Fiona Tuite (Wolfhounds)
