Warriors Women Director of Rugby Jo Yapp wants Sunday’s Tyrrells Premier 15s victory over Bristol Bears Women to be a platform to build on both on and off the pitch.
The 15-12 win was Warriors Women’s first in the league this season and it was watched by a record crowd for a women’s club match at Sixways of 1,721 on Sepsis Awareness Day.
“The day was awesome. To have this home crowd is so important for the players and for the club to have supported this event like they have is fantastic,” Yapp said.
“Everyone across the club has got behind this event to get a record crowd here which is great for the girls and for them to come away with the result is even better.
“We now need to build on this. Hopefully spectators who might not have been here before will come back.
“Our next home match is on December 14 against Firwood Waterloo. That is also our Legends Day when we will be bringing a lot of the old girls back so it should be another fantastic occasion.”
Two first half tries from number eight Lucy Lockhart gave Warriors Women the initiative against Bristol but it was the third try from Carys Cox, after a patient and sustained attack, that showed that Warriors Women had benefited from a month of intensive training during a break from league rugby.
“We knew they were capable of getting this result it’s just been getting the players to believe it,” Yapp said.
“They held on against a tough Bristol side that never gave up at all in a really good contest. I am just so proud of the girls.
“Ultimately we are new coaching team that has just come in so to have that period of time with the players was key.
“We had a match against The Army last week as preparation building into this game and that was important.
“It helped the girls to have the belief that, when they make line breaks, they can finish. The Army match helped us with that and we showed that again against Bristol. But I still think there is so much more to come from this side.”
The Bristol win also completed a weekend to remember for Yapp who coached Barbarians Women to a 29-15 win over Wales Women in Cardiff 24 hours earlier.
“It’s been an amazing weekend all round. Doing the Barbarians was a massive honour and then to come here and see the work we have put in over the last four and five weeks be rewarded is so positive,” she said.
Tickets for Warriors Women v Firwood Waterloo at Sixways on Saturday December 14 can be purchased here.