Waltzing Matilda!

Australia two from two as they now move on to Aldershot and a rematch with the British Army on Wednesday night.  On this showing they will take some stopping.  There was not much waltzing but again a feast of powerful and direct rugby with width when required.

Chooka Saunders, playing at full back, but leading her side from the front led the Warriors to an emphatic 99-0 against the RN Women at a sun kissed Burnaby Rd.  She will have been very pleased how the changes from Tuesday’s match had not unsettled the style of rugby that the team are playing and how the side did not allow themselves to be distracted by the advancing scoreline and kept seeking to play with power and purpose.

From a naval point of view it was a long day at the office and  probably the hardest baptism a new coach, Bali Salisbury, could have asked for.  Shorn of many of their more experienced players the Navy side featured a whole of host of new faces and  their lack of familiarity with each other did not help the cause.  As with the U23s at Chichester the match showed that a couple of the players need a little more experience before they are ready for this level of rugby but I am sure that one or two will prove to be real assets when playing in a more structured team after Christmas.

It is to the Navy’s credit that though well beaten they remained unbowed and probably produced some of their best rugby mid way through the second half when, having finally managed to get some possession, they took the game to the Australians with some strong running from the forwards.  If I had to choose a player of the match then it would go to Caz Vakalahi, the Aussies Number 8, who created havoc in the Navy defence.  However pushing her close and impressive in a

losing cause was the Navy’s captain Charlie Fredrickson.  Her work rate was immense and she stands comparison with the very many great backrow forwards that the Royal Navy has produced in its 106 year history.  It is probably due to her leadership and determined defence that the Navy kept the score below the record losing score (also 106 points) by a Navy representative side.  I am sure that she will ensure that the team and especially the newcomers move forward in time for the Inter Services later in the year.

For the Warriors the game was an opportunity to give the remainder of the squad important game time and their coaching staff will have a few headaches before they select the side for Wednesday night’s eagerly anticipated clash with the Army.  The last time the teams met the British Army were 14-0 winners but if the Australians can eliminate some of they unforced errors they are more than capable of producing the victory they are clearly focussed on achieving.

They have already shown that they have strong powerful runners throughout the side.  Today they also stepped up their defence which was, at times, claustrophobic in its intensity.  In their two games so far they have not really been put under pressure and it is therefore to their credit that they have looked to keep their standards up as much as they have and not become too loose.  I am sure that with the added focus that Wednesday will naturally bring that the team possesses the ammunition to cause the Army some problems.  Hopefully Wednesday will be a dry night as I think that if it is then Aldershot should host one of the best Service women’s matches seen in this country.

British Army Women v Australian Defence Forces Warriors, Wednesday 31 October, Aldershot Stadium, KO19:30