Warriors Women made it two wins on the spin at Sixways with a resounding 64-19 bonus point victory over Firwood Waterloo Women in the Tyrrells Premier 15s.
The Warriors ran in 10 tries including a brace from Vicky Laflin, who crossed the whitewash as early as the first minute to set the tone.
Patient build-up from Warriors’ dominant pack created the space for Jade Shekells and Carys Cox to combine, before the ball was moved wide to Laflin for the score.
Not deterred by the early setback, Waterloo enjoyed a period of sustained pressure from the restart and on eight minutes they were on level terms when full-back Lauren Delaney scooted through a gap to dot down under the posts.
On 16 minutes Warriors regained the lead through Akina Gondwe, who pounced on a loose ball to touchdown after the hosts had overturned Waterloo’s scrum close to their try line. Sarah Nicholas cannoned the post with the conversion, but Warriors led 10-5.
Midway through the first period the impressive Cox got her name on the scoresheet, her blistering pace leaving a flurry of Waterloo defenders in her wake. This time Nicholas made no mistake from bang in front to extend Warriors’ advantage to 17-5.
Jo Yapp’s side continued to play an expansive brand of rugby, and they were rewarded again for their adventure on 27 minutes courtesy of Taz Bricknell. The no-nonsense back-row crashed over from close range for a converted try.
While Warriors’ attacking game was in full flow, they were enjoying the defensive side of the game too with Laura Keates dislodging the ball from a Waterloo attacker with a fine hit as half-time loomed.
Warriors crossed for two further tries just before the break by virtue of England international Lydia Thompson and Keates, with both scores converted to make 38-5 at half-time.
The home side immediately picked up from where they left off in the first half, outside centre Vicky Foxwell hitting a great line to carve open the visitors’ backline to cross under the posts. Nicholas’ conversion made it 45-5 to Warriors.
Six minutes later, Warriors hit the 50-point mark thanks to the first of Laflin’s two tries as she squeezed in at the corner on the back of a marauding carry from replacement prop Gwen Crabb.
Not deterred by the score line, Waterloo to their credit hit back just short of the hour mark with a quick-fire double. First, centre Laura Perrin intercepted on half-way to race clear, before Vanessa Temple was driven over to reduce the deficit to 50-19.
On 67 minutes Warriors turned defence into attack with a scintillating backline move that unleashed Wales international Jasmine Joyce to the line. Nicholas’ touchline conversion clipped the bar on its way over to increase Warriors’ supremacy to 57-19.
Replacement scrum-half Zoe Heeley, who had only been on the field for less than a minute, rounded off the scoring on 75 minutes as she sidestepped a series of defenders before darting to the line. Nicholas’ conversion made it 64-19 as referee Laura Pettingale, who refereed Thursday’s Varsity match at Twickenham, blew for full-time.
Warriors Women | 15 Carys Cox (Jasmine Joyce 40), 14 Lydia Thompson, 13 Vicky Foxwell, 12 Jade Shekells, 11 Vicky Laflin (Zoe Heeley, 72), 10 Sarah Nicholas, 9 Brooke Bradley, 1 Akina Gondwe, 2 Carmen Tremelling (Carys Phillips, 40), 3 Laura Keates (Lauren Leatherland, 50), 4 Elizabeth Shermer, 5 Lyndsay O’Donnell (c) (Gwen Crabb, 40), 6 Sara Moreira (Cara Brincat, 40), 7 Taz Bricknell, 8 Lucy Lockhart (Alex Callender, 61)
Replacements | 16 Carys Phillips, 17 Lauren Leatherland, 18 Gwen Crabb, 19 Cara Brincat, 20 Alex Callender, 21 Zoe Heeley, 22 Jasmine Joyce
Timeline
1m | Laflin try 5-0
6m Delany try 5-5
15m | Gondwe try 10-5
19m | Cox try 15-5
20m | Nicholas con 17-5
28m | Bricknell try 22-5
29m | Nicholas con 24-5
36m | Thompson try 29-5
37m | Nicholas con 31-5
40m | Keates try 36-5
40m | Nicholas con 38-5
45m | Foxwell try 43-5
46m | Nicholas con 45-5
49m | Laflin try 50-5
52m | Perrin try 50-10
53m | Davies con 50-12
58m | Temple try 50-17
59m | Davies con 50-19
68m | Joyce try 55-19
69m | Nicholas con 57-19
73m | Heeley try 62-19
76m | Nicholas con 64-19
Referee | Laura Pettingale