Drybrook women 12 - Ellingham and Ringwood 52

Our women made their longest journey of the season to Drybrook in Gloucestershire on Sunday. The weather was perfect for running rugby and adding the picturesque Forest of Dean setting made the game an enjoyable spectacle for all watching. There is always a good encounter between these two teams and today was no different. To make life harder for us was the presence of former England fly half Ceri Large who was starting for the home side, so we knew we had to be at our best to get a result against a strong opposition.

The game started with both teams exchanging attacks and some big tackles going in from each side. We initially struggled to get a grip of the game and Drybrook started to dominate possession and territory in the early periods of the game. Their pressure eventually resulted in a break from full-back Millie Purser who showed great pace to finish under the posts. The try was converted by McKenna Brace and the home side led 7-0. This score gave us the wakeup call we needed and from clean first phase ball at the scrum, number 8 Jasmine McLean broke from the base to run almost half the length of the pitch before being brought down. We used the ball effectively and captain and scrum-half Charlotte Smith looped fly half Georgia Smith and darted over to score under the posts. Georgia Smith converted the score and the scores were level at 7-7 with 20 minutes played.

After a mistake from the restart and then a lost lineout, we found ourselves under pressure inside our own 22 metre line. Some strong individual play from Ceri Large saw her take on several defenders and score in the corner to give Drybrook an unconverted try and restore a 12-7 lead for the home side. We went straight down the other end of the pitch and after some ill-discipline from the home side found ourselves with a lineout 10 metres short of the line. A pre-planned lineout move was executed to release Louise Ozier to score in the corner. The try was unconverted and the teams were again tied on 12-12 with not long to go in the first half.

There was to be one final score in the first period and it went our way after some strong play from the forwards. Nina Hoadley picked a great line at pace and cut through the opposition defence to score under the posts. Georgia Smith added the conversion which gave us a narrow 12-19 lead at the break.

After a productive half time, we came back into the game focused and feeling as though we had the fitness levels to take the game up a level in intensity. Despite some strong play from the home side, this was exactly what ended up happening. After a good break by Jess Lawrence, we were again inside then opposition 22 metre line and applying pressure to the opposition defence. Charlotte Smith got the ball and beat two players before showing strength to break a tackle and then speed away to score under the posts. Georgia Smith converted again to give us a 12-26 lead.

Nina Hoadley was causing her opposite number problems defensively and after good backs move, she accelerated down the right-hand flank to go over to the right of the posts. The conversion just strayed wide, but we had now opened up the score to 12-31 and were looking comfortable. Shortly after this score, Nina Hoadley completed her hat-trick with a piece of individual brilliance where she broke a tackle in midfield and ran half the length of the pitch and away from the equally paced Purser who gave chase but could not stop a superb try under the posts. Georgia Smith converted this time and the score was extended to 12-38.

We were to have two further scores through centre Jess Lawrence who picked a powerful line in midfield to cut the defence in half and score under the posts. Again this was converted and Ellingham now led 12-45. With the last play of the game, winger Georgia Gilson who had made several breaks through the game got round her opposite number on the left wing and scored under the posts to give Georgia Smith another conversion. The full-time whistle went and Ellingham had outscored Drybrook 0-33 in the second half to take an impressive victory.

After the game captain Charlotte Smith said: ‘The team is really enjoying their rugby at the minute which is showing in our performances. We’re working hard in training to ensure we can implement the improvement points we are receiving into games at the weekend. We’re focusing a lot on adapting how we play to suit different environments and we really had to do that today against a strong Drybrook side. The improvement we showed in the second half was quite dramatic and we went from strength to strength. We’re under no illusions that we’ve still got a lot to improve on, but we’re ready to work on these factors and develop together as a side.’