Another cracking bout of mud wrestling game of rugby.
I believe that’s the first time the women have won two games in a row. And, honestly, it should be three, but for some poor choices at the end of the Bristol game.
Mind you, they are definitely emulating the men in giving us squeaky-bum finishes. Trying to hold out against Bristol, keeping it tight at Trailfinders, and, here, clinging on to the single-penalty lead throughout the bulk of the second half.
The first half was mostly all Sale. They went ahead with a well-worked try by Rhona Lloyd: having pulled Quins’ defence in tight, they moved the ball through Aitcheson and Duffy to a wide-open right wing for a fairly simple touchdown.
Five points up after thirteen minutes, they went further ahead ten minutes later, when Amy Cokayne (who else) flopped over the line from a five-metre maul. The pack is looking much improved this season, even though it’s only at hooker and 8 that there are any real differences from last season. I suspect that most of the improvement comes from coaching and leadership – the ability was always there, it just needed to be focused.
Another interesting choice was to have Lizzy take the kicks at goal, and Holly take the kicks from hand. It worked, though: the conversion from wide left was class. They also seem to be playing those two interchangeably at ten and fifteen. Again, it seems to be working.
Quins pulled five points back five minutes from half-time, but Lizzy took back three of those with a penalty to end the half.
In the second half, Sale seemed to go off the boil, and, fifteen minutes in, Quins narrowed the gap to three points with their second try. We then had twenty-five minutes of Quins trying desperately to get the win, whilst Sale tried equally desperately to stop them, all to a background of rain in Biblical proportions.
Ultimately, Sale held out for their third win of the season, and much rejoicing was to be had.
What we’re seeing with this team is the gradual realisation of potential. This is a significantly different side from last season, with a new coaching team and several key additions on the playing side. We got a hint of it with that early win away at Loughborough in the PWR cup.
Although – before last week – they only had a single win, they had amassed eight bonus points (five try and three losing). For comparison, last season, they managed a grand total of no bonus points and one win.
At the start of this season, I would have been happy with a solid low-mid-table finish, something it looks like we should achieve. In fact, looking at the remaining games, I think they could get two or three more wins: they should be able to take the hapless Leicester at Natalie Woods Welford Road, and I would hope they can do at home what they should have done down in Bristol. They also have a serious chance of moving up above Loughborough if they can pull off a win at Heywood Road in two weeks.
I’m going to keep saying this: if you haven’t yet been to a women’s game, you are missing out on some fabulous rugby. Honestly, it’s infinitely better than watching the men at the moment.
I was chatting to Shona Campbell and Brittany Hogan this evening (Tuesday), and they were so enthusiastic about the support at Heywood Road, how the noise and passion of the supporters lifted them. So get down there, add to the noise and help them do even better for the rest of the season.
an old grey dog 