Warriors True to their Name

A wet and windy night at the Aldershot Rugby Stadium bore witness to a rare sight, the British Army Women losing a rugby match.  Five months ago the Army had left Sydney with the bragging rights following their 14-0 victory.  However though they pushed the Aussies every inch of the way they were unable to repeat the feet in front of their home crowd as the Warriors deservedly won the match 13-10.

The early play lacked fluency as both sides struggled with a swirling wind and a wet ball.  Much of the early play was in the middle of the pitch with the Army stronger in the scrums and Shorty Palmer struggling to get the ball away to her flyhalf Fish Neville.  However, as in their opening game of the tour, the Warriors were quick to seize on the first piece of quality ball they had and following a couple of drives down the left the ball was moved across the back line for Woody Woods to open the scoring.  Though Hayley Sullivan couldn’t convert the early initiative had been seized.

However it didn’t last long as despite playing in to a strong head wind the Army began to find a little fluency and their driving play knocked the Aussies back.  With a couple of penalties conceded they were soon defending close to their line and eventually were forced to concede the equalling score.  These were the first points conceded on tour so it was going to be interesting how Sally Carter and her team reacted.

The small (but very vocal) Australian section of the crowd need not have worried because  it wasn’t long before Nonga Grant was matching her wing colleague and touching down in the left corner.  Again the conversion was missed but the lead regained at 10-5.

The half was closed out by the Warriors maintaining a degree of control on the game but unable to break down determined Army defence or keep the ball for long enough without making an error.  They were assisted when the referee’s patience ran out with the ball being killed on the ground and despatched the Army openside for ten minutes.   He then finally penalised one of a number of high tackles to give the Aussies a penalty as the half was drawing to the close.

At the start of the second half the wind had picked up and it was right in to the Warriors faces.  However both sides had adapted to the conditions and the error count was reduced and as a consequence the game improved.  As the night thermometer went down the match temperature went up.  The half was a defining half of rugby for the Services Women’s game.  There are many things you can coach but attitude and desire are not belonging to the backroom staff but rather something that exists within the psych of a team.  Throughout the second period both teams showed that they were not prepared to accept defeat.

The Warriors had not been tested in defence by either the RAF or RN but at Aldershot the Army threw the proverbial kitchen sink at them and for the third quarter they held out.

However with fifteen minutes of the match to go the Warriors captain conceded a penalty for handling in the ruck and from the quick tap the Army scored in the right hand corner to get to within three points.  A tense last quarter of an hour were on hand.  The score seemed to galvanise the Warriors and they once more took the game to the Army.  Time after time a Green and Gold shirt would be on the shoulder of Shory Palmer to take the ball up, pick and go, pick and go, one out rugby off 9, then Fish Neville would bring either of the strong running centres in Lulu Gray or Alisha Hewitt on to the ball.  The Army’s defence was impressive but they were simply battered backwards.  With the advantage of the wind they were able to regain ground easily through a single clearing kick but the Green and Gold tide would simply start to come back.

On the field the Warriors began to play a disciplined and controlled game of football.  Few errors and the ability to hold on to possession allowed them to both gain territory and to run down the clock.  However off the field………….

However with the Warriors backrow beginning to dominate the game was duly closed out for a deserved away victory.  For me both flankers vied for player of the match.

It was left for Fish Nevill to fianlly kick the ball of the pitch and for the referee to whistle no side.  Winning is the best cure for weariness but the game had been hard and there is a fair chance that there will be a long queue for the physio on Thursday morning.

For the Warriors it is three from three and a couple of days off to sight see around London before they focus on the last match of their tour and the possible Grand Slam against the Combined Services at Caerphilly.