Old Leamingtonians Ladies vs Tewkesbury: 55 – 0

There seems to be no end to Old Leamingtonians Ladies’ winning ways these days.

Unbeaten since Christmas, Sunday saw them put 9 tries past Tewkesbury in a match with two faces.

The first 15 minutes of the match were marked by disorganised defending from Old Leams and strong scrummaging from Tewkesbury’s 7-man pack. Nonetheless Old Leams took the lead after 10 minutes when prop Chris Lycett picked up from a ruck and fed winger Charlotte Hewer. Hewer, playing a great match despite her broken fingers, put the ball across the line.

Old Leams still seemed to have forgotten their organisation around rucks and Tewkesbury’s strong pack gave Old Leams no chance in the mauls. But the strong wind that was blowing across the park was clearly in favour of Old Leams. When lock Marieke Vink stole a Tewkesbury line-out, fly-half Vicky Stokes kicked the ball from the Old Leams’ 22 and chased it only to be held back by her shirt a few metres from the line. Outside-centre Tammy Summers was paying attention, picked the ball up and scored her first of 2 tries of the afternoon. Stokes converted and after 15 minutes, Old Leams were 12 – 0 up.

The third try came a minute later. Flanker Claire Penna caught the ball from the re-start of play and ran all the way to the Tewkesbury try-line, side-stepping and dummying her way through the entire defence. Another conversion from fly-half Vicky Stokes made it 19 – 0.

Old Leams clearly relaxed a bit and found their rhythm again. They were more organised and more disciplined. They stepped up a gear and started to out-run Tewkesbury with clever forwards positioning and more wide passing. Before half-time Scrum-half Charlie Graham scored the fourth try of the afternoon after Captain Christie Honor picked up from a scrum in Tewkesbury’s 22. At half time the score was 24 – 0.

In the second half the wind was in favour of Tewkesbury but it made no real difference. Inside-centre Kelly McLeod charged down a Tewkesbury clearance kick in their 22 and scored 29 – 0

Tewkesbury did not give up and gave al they had in their strong scrums and driving mauls. Old Leams missed a few tackles but winger Rohie Jallow proved she has no fear by charging down some of the strongest Tewkesbury players. Coach Tim Burden decided to rotate players through the squad to see how they worked out in unfamiliar positions. Jallow proved to be an asset as a flanker as well, prop Chris Lycett stood her ground as scrum-half and flanker Laura Knox showed her running speed on the wing.

Tammy Summers scored her second try after the ball bounced straight into her hands from a great cross-field kick from fly-half Vicky Stokes. She was unchallenged and scored between the posts. Stokes made short work of the conversion. 36 – 0.

Stokes got her own try a little later when inside-centre Kelly McLeod intercepted a Tewkesbury pass and put Stokes in a great scoring position. Again the Tewkesbury defence did not respond and Stokes ran from her own half to score between the posts. She then converted her own try. 43 – 0.

Old Leams did not rest. With bonus points in mind and a desire to have all the backs score their try today, Full-back Beckie Harris got hers after a well-worked backs move, seeing the ball passed all the way down the line.

Captain Christie Honor finished the match of in style. Old Leams won the Tewkesbury scrum and Honor picked up from the back of the scrum. She drove in hard from the 5 meter line and scored. Stokes converted again, bringing her total of the day to 15 points and the final score to 55 – 0.

For more information about Old Leamingtonians Ladies Rugby, visit our website at http://www.olrfc.co.uk/ladies .