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.