Latter hat-trick as Wasps shut Saracens out.

Wasps Ladies consolidated their top spot in National League Division 1 with an emphatic 34-0 defeat of Saracens at Twyford Avenue last Sunday.  The win must make Wasps favourites to retain the National League Title for the third successive season.

This was the first game for both teams since the Christmas break, and Saracens, the only side to have beaten Wasps in the last two years, started the game knowing this was a must win if they were to keep alive their own league title challenge.  However, it was Wasps that came out of the traps to take early control of the game.  Despite missing a penalty after five minutes, the hosts were able to apply consistent pressure from the outset, Saracens responding by conceding a rash of penalties. However, the visitor’s shaky defence was truly exposed after fifteen minutes when Wasps scored from first phase possession, spinning the ball fast and wide from a line out for winger Louise Latter to cross practically unopposed.

Though she missed a second place kick with the conversion, Wasps fly half Amy Turner continued to grow in confidence, mixing the play to keep Saracens firmly on the back foot and scoring a try of her own on the half hour, finding the gap in Saracens midfield to touch down under the posts and this time make no mistake with the conversion.

It soon became clear that a Saracens fight back was unlikely. The visitors looked lacklustre in all areas, and Wasps dominated possession and territory for the rest of the half, that was rounded off with a try for England captain Paula George, after powerful hooker Selena Rudge had again punched hole in the Saracens midfield, offloading for George in support to canter over for Wasps third.

The second half delivered more of the same, Wasps moving the ball into the wide spaces for winger Latter to add two more tries to her account and tireless flanker Raquel Eldridge to round off the scoring as the Wasps pack rumbled over the line for her touchdown in the final minutes.

After the game, Wasp coach Nicola Ponsford declared herself very pleased with her sides performance, “Things are finally coming together for us as a team after coping with such a long injury list for much of this season,” she said. 

“We have been able to play the same team for the last two games now, and that has really made a difference as the players can start to play for each other now. 

Today we played with more intensity and aggression than previously this season.  We are winning a good share of possession and are now able to control very well what we do with that possession.

The forward played well as a pack today and the midfield defence was excellent.  Amy Turner is playing better and better at fly half, and as a result we were able to get the ball very wide.

Talking about Wasps chances of winning their third league title in succession, Ponsford acknowledged that Sunday’s clash with second placed Clifton will be crucial, but refused to accept that a win next week would secure the title for Wasps.

“We need to win next week, and that will be the most difficult game yet this season.  Clifton will be a strong team and we will need to play very well to beat them, especially on their home turf.  There are three games left after that, and we would need to lose all three to be overtaken at the top.  That is unlikely, but to be honest, for me t it will be the performance of the team that counts. If we perform well we will win those games, and keep our destiny in our own hands.

Wasps 2XV let slide a 19-0 advantage to lose 20-19 to Saracens 2XV, the loss taking with it any realistic chance Wasps 2XV had of retaining their National Division 2 title.  Wasps forwards dominated in the first forty, tries coming from No 8 Brydie Canham and hooker Beth Mallard.  However, Saracens came out firing for the second half, and faced with the onslaught Wasps lost their composure to allow the visitors back into the game.  With the score at 20-19, Wasps were awarded a penalty as the last action of the game, but pushed it wide for Saracens to take the points and Wasps to slide 8 points adrift of league leaders Vale of Lune.

Scorers

1XV: Louise Latter 3T; Amy Turner 1T, 2C; Paula George 1T; Raquel Eldridge 1T.

2XV: Brydie Canham 2T; Beth Mallard 1T; Helen Christmas 2C