Oxon Cluster 12 - 46 Saracens

The girls started slowly after the long drive to Grove on 26th October, but grew in confidence as the game went on. The first few minutes both teams were testing each other out. Saracens got a scrum just in the Oxon half, and Claire broke down the blind side to score in the corner, the conversion coming back off the post. This gave the girls more confidence, but they were still standing off in the contact area and passes were being dropped. Suddenly Saracens hit a ruck well and got quick ball just in the Oxon 22, Claire passed the ball out it went down the backs into the centre before a tackle came in, but the ball was passed out the tackle to find Claire looping around to score in the opposite corner. From another attack in the Oxon 22, more good rucking saw quick ball out to Becky in the centre to power through and score under the posts with an easy conversion to follow. Oxon came back and started to put pressure on Sarries. Sarries were defending well and finally managed to turn the ball over, it was passed blind and Finn ran from just inside the Sarries half to score. The first half finished 22-0 to Sarries.

Oxon started the second half with pressure on Sarries. Oxon broke blind from a ruck in their own half and were able to break away to score. From the kick off they immediately broke through again but were brought down just short of the line. Sarries defended the ensuing ruck but the pressure continued and Oxon were able to crash over to score a converted try. Sarries changed tactics slightly, kicking a penalty for touch into the Oxon 22. Amy won the lineout, the ball was passed to Becky in the centre who was stopped, but the ball was immediately recycled and passed to Claire running round the outside of the Oxon defence to score in the corner. Sarries attempted a similar move a few minutes later, again kicking a penalty into touch in the Oxon 22. Amy again won the lineout, the ball again found its way to Becky in the centre who was stopped but the ball was recycled to Finn this time looping round the Oxon defence to score in the corner. Sarries again drove the ball up into the Oxon 22. Committing players they won a slow ruck ball the ball was passed from Flo to Emily coming back on an inside run. Emily looked to have been stopped just short, but kept driving and broke through the tackle to score her first try for the club by the posts and Claire converted. There was just time from the kick off for Becky to gather the ball and drive into the Oxon half before being stopped. She passed to Amy who continued to drive deeper into the Oxon half, before Claire received the ball and side stepped her way through under the posts to score a converted try.

Many thanks to the Oxon cluster for a great match and hospitality.

Ampthill 35 - 45 Saracens/Hertford

Seven of our U18’s went to Ampthill on a wonderful sunny Sunday 26th October, with Jade, Lyndsey and Poppy from Hertford. It was a great match that ebbed and flowed with tries being scored alternatively by each team in the first half until Saracens scored a pair of tries just before half time without reply to retake the lead. The second half was very similar to the first half with both teams trading tries until midway in the second half when Saracens managed to score a quick brace of tries, before alternate try scoring returned. Final score Saracens 45, Ampthill 35. Tries: Claire x3, Finn x2, Lyndsey x2, Poppy and Sarah. Lauren made her debut and just failed to score while Emily, Poppy and Jade were making only their second appearance. Many thanks to Ampthill for providing wonderful weather and a great match

Saracens/Hertford 0 - 37 Letchworth

On what could be described as a typical winter rugby day gales and driving rain, we played our first match of the season against Letchworth. We were helped out be Hertford bringing some of their U18’s and hopefully we can continue to build this relationship in the games ahead. Although the weather was not conducive to free flowing rugby the girls played some great rugby. With 4 girls playing their first game ever it was always going to be a tough day especially with Sacha and Hayley back from their England U20 trials in the Letchworth team. In fact in the first half they were able to dominate and made the breaks that gave Letchworth 5 tries. A sixth was conceded at the beginning of the second half. After that the Saracens and Hertford girls started to put some better rugby together and dominated a large chunk of the half, putting lots of pressure on the Letchworth line. However excellent defence and some inexperience stopped the girls from scoring. Letchworth managing to break away near the end of the game to score the only converted try under the posts. Many thanks to Letchworth for providing great opposition on a less than welcoming day.