Worcester Ladies v Aylesford Bulls Ladies

Review

Playing at Sixways after the Warriors v Moseley game, the Ladies Premiership teams served a feast of rugby to rewarding the spectators who stayed.

With Worcester’s Welsh and Scottish 7’s players unavailable, and still with several first team players injured, the home side again fielded young players from the second team, along with Director of Rugby, Donna Kennedy, pressed into her first action for a year.

In a game of contrasting styles, Aylesford using their formidable pack and Worcester playing expansive rugby, the visitors challenged hard in the first half.

Worcester opened their account with a well worked backs try from Captain Ceri Large on 13 minutes, the first of her four tries, followed 3 minutes later with a dynamic run from young full back Kelly Smith,  Megan Goddard taking the extras. Large finished a good interchange of passing to increase the lead on 19 minutes, Goddard again converting and it seemed at this stage that the Bulls would be overrun. The switch of Large to centre and Goddard to fly half is paying dividends.

However, Bulls forwards took a grip in the game and applied pressure for the remainder of the half, their persistence being reward with a try from Sarah Riordan, who along with Kelly Davies, had an impressive game. Taylor Kinsey took the extras.

19 -7 at half time set the stage for an interesting second period, and Worcester came out with passion and determination, scoring after just 2minutes, again through Large.

The home sides more expansive style and superior fitness then became evident, with further scores from Large (2), Smith, Bianca Blackburn and Nicola Gross, the latter being the try of the game and on her first start of the season. Goddard took two conversions. Bulls benefitted from a lapse of concentration, taking advantage of charge down to record their second try on 65 minutes.

A convincing win which again shows the potential of this young Worcester side, in which everyone gave  their all and it would have very difficult to nominate a player of the game. Despite the score line, Aylesford gave their all for 80 minutes and should be commended for this.