Ladies XV Match Reports
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Stoneygate v Olney 01/04/12 The ladies travelled to Leicester side Stoneygate on Sunday for a must win game. Stoneygate have been struggling for form and are at the bottom of the table so the Pink Ladies knew they were in for a good chance and they definitely secured their position at 5th in the table for Midlands 2 with a great performance - Final score 17-29. Olney v Lichfield 25/3/12 Keen to get going again after a few weeks break the ladies welcomed Lichfield 2nds to Dofts field for the first time. The game started well and was stale mate until well into the first half when Sarah Larner managed to break through the defence to open the scoring. Half time 5-0 to the pink. The second half was not rewarding for the ladies who struggled to find some form with Lichfield using the bench and running in 4 tries. Final score 5-20 Olney v Moseley 19/2/12 Scrappy game but Ladies secure the win The ladies hosted Birmingham side Moseley at the weekend and got off to a storming start - camped in their 22 for much of the first twenty. Good defence from the visitors and sloppy mistakes by the home side meant a try was a long time coming. Although Kirsty Duncan at No 9 did get held up over the line the breakthrough eventually came from No 8 - Sarah Larner after a great pick up from the back of the scrum.
It was a good day for No 8 Larner who increased her tally with another trademark break after 30mins (the conversion, despite being a long way out was narrowly missed by No 10 Jenny Miles.) Moseley came back strongly and worked their way up into the Olney half, great defence from the pink ladies held them off the try line for what felt like a long time. Olney were reduced to 14 when Alice Smith received a yellow card. Half time score 10-0.
James continued to cause chaos in their defence with strong direct attacking runs, the last man tackle from Moseley preventing the damage. But with about 10 minutes to go the Moseley hooker scored, making it 17-12 and a nail biting end looked likely. Anxious spectators were relieved when the Olney ladies powered straight back at the visitos and Larner got her hat trick, again Miles converted to make the final score 24-12. Cambridge v Olney 22/1/12 Poor start left Olney trailing The pink ladies travelled to Cambridge on Sunday to face mid table opposition for their 9th game of the season. The last time these two sides played it was end to end rugby with Olney just sneaking the win so the ladies knew they would be in for a competitive game. The home side started positively and took full advantage of Olney’s poor organisation and lack of intensity, the pink ladies conceding 3 soft tries in quick succession. With barely 10 minutes on the clock and finding themselves 17-0 down the pink ladies got a tough talking to and finally switched on to play some rugby. From the next restart Olney pilled on the pressure forcing errors in the Cambridge defence and finding themselves in the attacking 22 after a series of penalties. With ball kept in hand Olney began to put phases of play together, the pack building a strong platform which eventually opened up the space for Jenny Miles at 10 who darted through a dog leg in defence to score under the posts. In very gusty winds kicking was going to be difficult and the conversion scuffed wide. Now Olney had possession they began to increase the pressure with excellent rucking from the front row Mel Wiseman, Alice Smith and Stacey Overton and strong carries from the 2nd row of Steph Clarke and Jo Perkins but it was tough going up an incline and into the wind. Olney had the chance to score again when Cambridge were slow to organise from a penalty but the last pass was dropped and the home side cleared the lines. Cambridge managed to have the last say of the first half, strong running from the No 8 left space in the midfield and despite a good scramble defence from Olney the centre crashed through to get the try leaving the score 24-5 at half time. The pack started to turn the screw in the second half, working hard at scrum time to pressure Cambridge’s only attacking route from the No 8 and excellent tackles from Alison Taylor and Jen Micklewright kept Olney in the game.
As the pink ladies upped the intensity Cambridge started to crumble in the midfield, despite continuous instruction from the coach on the sidelines errors increased and loose ball was hacked through by Mary Hardwick at 13 who chased through from the 22 and dived over to get the try. Olney kept up the good form and camped in the home side 22, the defence was excellent around the fringes but disorganised out wide and the pink ladies took advantage to spin the ball wide and it was Lizzie Holbourn at 12 who dived over to bring the score to 24-15. Despite an excellent effort from Miles the wind took the wall wide of the posts on the conversion. The home side regrouped and as the play ebbed and flowed it was Cambridge who managed to get a break down the wing, excellent covering tackles from Leanne Sargant on the wing and Miles and Holbourn held off the attack but as Olney scrambled back Cambridge used space in the midfield and raced through for a final score right at the end. Final score 29-15
Olney v Nottingham 15/1/12 Fantastic performance and big improvements It was a match that could have gone either way for Olney ladies as they hosted a full squad of 22 players from Nottingham on Sunday. The visitors started on the attack and quickly put together phases of play to work their way into dangerous territory for the pink ladies. Quick hands and good off loads took the game off to a frantic start yet Olney were ferocious in defence, superb tackling from the back row of Alex Denton, Alison Taylor (c) and Sarah Larner held Nottingham at bay. Once the home side got some possession they were able to show off their attacking skills, with centre Kerry James exposing a dog leg in defence and using her explosive pace to get into the Nottingham half. Great support from the pack kept Olney driving for the line and after a series of rucks they were celebrating a try only for it to be deemed held up. The resulting scrum took out some of the momentum and Nottingham eventually managed to clear their lines. On the attack again Nottingham tried to use the space but final passes didn’t go to hand and the loose ball was scooped up by centre Mary Hardwick who then made the mad dash the length of the pitch to open the scoring and take Olney into the lead, Jenny Miles at 10 adding the conversion to bring the score to 7-0. The visitors came back strongly and although scrappy at times both sides saw good periods of play. Great tackles from winger Louisa Osbourne and full back Jess Craig held the defence firm, but at the end of the half Nottingham did manage to strike through the midfield and bring the half time score to 7 points a piece. The second half continued in similar fashion with both sides running hard and fast and playing some excellent rugby. Olney began to dominate at scrum time, repeatedly winning ball against the head and building a strong platform for the backs to run off. Nottingham then used their strength in depth and made all 7 changes, fresh legs bringing more pace and the visitors began to kick the ball in the air at every opportunity, putting winger Jen Micklewright under pressure but her experience prevented any real progress. The home side were desperate to hold on for the draw but were fading fast and Nottingham were able to capitalise, using the space left and right before driving through the midfield again to score. The final score 7-12 but Olney do get a loosing bonus point which leaves them 6th in the table. With only 1 point between 3rd and 6th place there is still everything to play for.
Olney v Lutterworth 8/1/12 Great start to 2012 for Pink Ladies Dusting off the cobwebs and burning those Christmas calories Olney faced Lutterworth in a friendly fixture to kick off the New Year. After a 3 week break the pink ladies were keen to get back onto the pitch and have a run out before the next league game and opposition Lutterworth certainly gave them a rough and tough welcome back (no such thing as a ‘friendly’ in rugby!) The vistors kicked off and immediately put Olney under pressure at ruck time and with excellent tackles, the home side were stuck in their own half with little momentum despite having most of the possession. A resulting penalty saw Lutterworth opt to kick to the posts but the kick was poor and low straight into the hands of Jenny Miles at 10 who took on the defence. The pink ladies found some pace and quick hands to Lizzie Holburn at 13 found space up to the half way line and beyond, sprinting through to opening the scoring. Miles adding the extras. Olney seemed to finally find some rhythm and kept up the pace, the forwards providing a great platform at rucks and the backs running great lines at pace. Centre Kerry James at 12 punched holes in the midfield and raced through to score. In full flow Olney kept up the pressure and were keen to put some training moves into practice whilst still delivering the basics. However, the game became disjointed at times in the scrum and Lutterworth were solid in counter attack and stealing ball at rucks. The second half brought renewed vigour to the visitors and Olney were pinned down on their own try line for phase after phase of Lutterworth attack, but the defence held firm with excellent tackles and finally a great distance clearance kick from Miles. The chase was good and Olney were rampant on the counter attack, spinning the ball right to left and finding space on the wing for James to add another score. Final Score 41-0. With the next game a league fixture v Nottingham at Home on 15th January the pink ladies will be keen to build on a confident start to 2012. Lakenham Hewitt v Olney 11/12/11 Olney ladies travelled to Norwich to face league rivals Lakenham Hewitt on Sunday. With only 14 players Olney knew this would be a tough game and were keen to put in a good performance. In wintery cold and blustery conditions the visitors started well with good pressure in defence and strong attacking runs around the fringes. Lakenham dominated in the loose but were hampered by unforced errors gifting possession back to Olney with knock ons and forward passes. The pink ladies soaked up the initial pressure with excellent first up tackles and a strong defensive line, fantastic play by Jen Micklewright (returning after knee surgery) and Maddy Bowley (back in the UK after working in Africa) galvanised the team. The home side thought they had opened the scoring but Olney held it up and continued to make Lakenham work for any points. Eventually the home side did use the overlap and the try was scored in the corner. From the restart Olney kept up the pressure and after multiple infringements were awarded a penalty in front of the posts. No. 10 Jenny Miles stepped up and the swirling wind brushed the ball onto the posts and the home side thrashed it clear of their lines. But play continued and Olney had the momentum with another penalty in a similar position – Miles made no mistake and slotted it through the uprights. In full flow the pink ladies worked up the pitch and found themselves with another penalty, Lakenham were lucky not to be reduced to 14 players themselves. Miles struck cleanly and Olney took a surprise lead, 6-5. The home side seemed shell shocked and took the rest of the half to rally themselves back together. Despite having most of the possession excellent scrambled defence from Olney and superb tackling, especially from full back Jess Craig kept the home side at bay and only 2 more tries were conceded leaving the score 17-6 at half time. Lakenham played with renewed vigour in the second half and were able to put more phases of play together, yet they didn’t utilise the overlaps and points went begging as handling errors cost them dear with 2 tries disallowed due to forward passes. On 50mins Olney were still holding firm but injury to Prop Alice Smith left the pink ladies with 13 players and the remainder of the game was played with uncontested scrums. Yet despite this Olney continued to put in a proud performance working as a team to hold a defensive line and staying strong in attack at rucks and mauls. Eventually the pink ladies began to run out of steam and finally Lakenham took advantage of overlaps to register more points. Final score 45-6 Olney v Shelford 13/11/11 Ladies get tough and get the win Olney Ladies took on local Cambridge side Shelford at home on Sunday in a ‘can and must win game’ to keep them in a mid table position of Midlands 2. The home side started with incredible determination turning over the ball at the ruck and quickly moving the ball into the centres where Kerry James sliced through two tackles and sprinted in from half way to get the first try with barely 2 minutes on the clock. However, the speed left James suffering and she was forced to leave the field soon after with a hamstring injury. The home side continued to soak up the pressure from Shelford but the visitors looked the stronger side and Olney had clearly lost focus, breaking through the midfield Shelfords quick offloads and strong running from their No 13 left a desperate defence unable to cover the ground and the try was scored under the posts. The conversion drifted just wide bringing the score to 5-5. The game ebbed and flowed as territory and possession repeatedly changed has knock ons were conceded. Olney dominated through most of the scrums however and a credit to the pack as they were able to win ball against the head. Strong runs off the back of the scum from No 8 Sarah Larner and support from winger Carice Allen put the pink ladies up to within metres of the try line but Shelford managed to clear the lines. With neither side able to make any impact the half time whistle was welcome relief to re group and re focus.
But the 2nd half started badly for Olney who didn’t take the kick off and immediately gave momentum to Shelford. Trapped defending the try line after a series of scrums and line outs, Olney seemed unable to make progress up the pitch despite excellent kicking under pressure from No 10 Jenny Miles. The interpretation of the rules by visiting Amercian ref left both sides perplexed at times. Eventually the home side did pull together, believed in each other and started to make progress. Getting more aggressive in defence and counter rucking the pink ladies were determined to secure the win and it was centre Lizzie Holburn who sprinted through a dog-leg in defence from the 22 and got the try in the corner. Olney then began to pressure and clearance kicks from No 10 Miles led Olney deep into the 22. A penalty was awarded and Miles took her chance at a difficult kick but the ball drifted wide of the upright. The resulting 22 drop out was picked out of the air with a fine catch from full back Jess Craig and the attack continued as again Holburn sliced through the midfield and released winger Allen to touch down in the corner. Despite excellent attacking play from Shelford, Olney were able to hold out for the win - final score 15-5. Moseley v Olney 30/10/11 Narrow defeat despite a great team performance Olney ladies travelled up to Moseley in Birmingham for their 5th league game of the season but with only 14 players it was going to be a tough game. Yet it was Olney who started with the most intent and kept hold of possession well, strong runs from forwards Alice Smith, Stacey Overton and Captain Alison Taylor leading the charge. Olney dominated and a succession of penalties took them to within striking distance for Jenny Miles, only for the kick to drift a whisker wide of the left upright. Olney were able to keep up the pressure despite excellent counter rucking from Moseley and it was Miles who capitalised on an error in their own 22 crashing through the desperate scrambled defence to open the scoring and add the conversion to take the pink ladies into a 7-0 lead. It didn’t look like Olney were a man down and Moseley failed to make the most of their opportunities with excellent pressure from wing Elly Peters putting Olney back within metres of the try line. Moseley tried to clear their lines but the kick was charged down by Captain Taylor and with a lucky bounce it was scrum half Mary Hardwick who sped through to dive on the loose ball. Olney 12, Moseley 0. Moseley finally got some rhythm and began to spread the Olney defence and make use of the overlap but great tackles from centres Lizzie Holburn and Jess Craig held the line strong. Eventually the home side did manage to get the ball out wide quickly and the winger sprinted around to get the try. Another try for the home side followed soon after making use of the full back in the midfield to release the centre to run through from the 22 for the try, bringing the score to 12 all. Olney had the last say of the half however, again strong drives up the pitch and excellent off loads kept the play flowing and they were rewarded with a penalty which Miles made no mistake and put straight through the uprights. The second half saw possession rapidly changing hands and the game got messy with ‘headless chicken’ style rugby as neither team managed to put decent phases of play together. Moseley were very strong at the scums yet a break from Hardwick got Olney up into the 22 and the pink ladies were camped a few metres out from the try line. Yet drive after drive didn’t materialise in any score and the effort left Olney exhausted. With 2 minutes left on the clock, 14 man Olney were desperate to hang on to the win after such an epic team performance, but luck favoured the Birmingham side who once again managed to pounce on loose ball and whip the ball out to the winger who sprinted down the touchline from halfway to get the final try. An amazing performance from Olney who proved that great team work makes for great rugby; despite the final score being 17-15 the pink ladies were proud of all their efforts. Olney pull through for the win Olney ladies hosted Cambridge Select on Sunday in what became an epic and thrilling game. The home side started with good intent, driving forward with strong runs and setting the pace of the game, rewarded with a penalty which No.10 Jenny Miles slotted through with ease. Cambridge re grouped and came out strong slicing through the Olney defence in midfield with the backs running excellent lines. It was all one way traffic for the next 35 minutes as the visitors continued to dominate and control the game; it seemed as if Olney were succumbing to another league defeat.
But that wasn’t to be. The pink ladies dug deep and through excellent passing play a whole team effort was rewarded when centre Lizzie Holbourn darted through to score under the posts, Miles adding the convers The half time team talk from coaches Tim Hacker and Steve Micklewright must have invigorated the home side as they came out re-energised after the break with No 8 Sarah Larner scoring two tries in 4 minutes, bringing the score to 22-21. The game settled down and both sides enjoyed a share of the possession and good phases of play, Olney forwards were fantastic at scrum time and won clean ball which saw Miles blast through to get another score and conversion.
It was nail biting stuff from the sidelines as Cambridge then scored twice in quick succession, making the most of overlaps to stretch the home defence, taking the score to 29-33 with barely 5 minutes left on the clock. The Olney players looked out on their feet but surged on and as Cambridge tried to run out of their 22, a great tackle from Lizzi Holburn enabled winger Jess Craig to rip the ball from the tackle and score under the posts to the great relief of all the supporters. Miles again added the conversion taking the full time score to 36-33. A fantastic win for the pink ladies and a real team effort placing them 4th in the Midlands 2 league. Big improvement for Olney Ladies The pink ladies travelled to Nottingham for their 3rd game of the season in Midlands 2 keen to make improvements on last weeks loss. In windy conditions Olney took the kick off and kept the ball tight, running through some phases of play and began to rumble up the pitch. The game was scrappy to start with, possession repeatedly changing hands and ball stolen at the breakdowns. Olney managed to absorb much of the early pressure and held a strong defensive line. But a succession of scrums put Olney on the back foot, with Nottingham winning ball against the head the defence was out of shape and the home side opened the score board after 20 minutes. The game then opened up for Nottingham whose strong running and quick offloads left Olney trailing. Despite some good scrabbling defence Nottingham made the most of overlaps and a few missed tackles left Olney 22-0 down at the break. Olney made big improvements in the second half securing ball at the breakdowns and straight sniping runs from No 8 Sarah Larner and No 10 Jenny Miles led the charge. Good pressure in defence by scrum half Kirsty Duncan inspired a more aggressive Olney to hold strong. Good phases of play eventually paid off as new player No 14 Jess Craig powered through 2 tackles and in a moment of brilliance reached for the line to get the try.
Nottingham finished strongly and again used quick hands in the backs and strong running centres to crash through. Final score 27-5. Olney will take confidence from the second half performance and next play at home v Cambridge on 23rd October. New players always welcome! We have great coaches, a top team and fabulous club; join us for training every Wednesday from 7.15pm. http://www.rugbyroundup.com/league.php?league_id=80&mode=league_table#leagueInfo |
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Hot and tough encounter for Olney Ladies |
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Olney Ladies on winning form
Olney ladies opened their Midlands 2 League account with a dominate display over Leicester rivals Stoneygate, winning 65-17.
The pink ladies were straight up from the kick off with excellent rucking to secure quick ball and forward running which saw centre Kerry James crash through to open the scoring, Jenny Miles adding the conversion. The home side kept up the pace getting the ball through the hands quickly and using the overlap, breaking through tackles, James getting through the defence again for her 2nd try, Miles adding the conversion.
Great support play followed and from a scrum on the opposition 22 it was then No 8 Sarah Larner who scampered down the blind side for a try. But Stoneygate didn’t make it easy, great counter rucks and stealing ball at the breakdown saw them get within Olney’s 22 but the home defence held firm. With good exchanges of play and strong running from forwards Lizzi Leach and Terri Denham Olney were once again back up the pitch and No 10 Miles darted through for her first try for Olney, adding the conversion. Soon after, a classic move from the scum opened up for No 8 Larner to get a 2nd try. Stoneygate were far from done and after kicking into Olney’s 22 the successful line out saw quick ball out to the backs who skimmed through to get some points on the board. Olney got the last say of the 1st half winning ball at the kick off through excellent pressure from wing Charlotte Armitage, great offloads and quick passing released full back Louisa Osbourne to touch down in the corner, half time 41-5.
The sun shone in the second half and it was beautiful rugby weather, Olney kept up the pressure and drove for the line, the rolling maul rumbled over and it was winger Mary Hardwick who was at the back to score the try. Olney began to dominate with some attacking play and finally, spaced opened up around the fringes and it was No 8 Larner who dashed through and sprinted for the line for her hat trick. Support play was key to this game and the next score came from Hardwick who got a superb pop pass out of the tackle from centre James and dived over, conversion from Miles.
Stoneygate re-grouped and began to put some passes together and gained confidence from a longer spell of territory and possession. Olney took their foot off the gas and a succession of penalties saw them defending the line and conceding a try, Stoneygate adding the conversion. But Olney once again took control and attacked the blind side resulting in Larner going over for her 4th try of the game, Miles adding her 5th conversion of the match.
One last gasp from Stoneygate, their forwards rumbled down on the try line, the No 8 crashing through off a loose ball to get another score on the board, but it was Olney Ladies who finished defiantly, simple play and offloads from the tackles meant they were once again pressuring the visitors and it was Hardwick who slipped through to get a hat trick.
Sadly the game came to an abrupt and traumatic end with a severe injury to Vice Captain and stand in Captain for the match Lizzi Leach, the 2nd row had played an outstanding game and had exciting plans for this season, we wish her a speedy recovery and hope she is back playing again soon.
Final Score 65-17. |
ion. Half Time 10-21.
