Women’s rugby smash past Leeds Trinity for first league win
Photograph by George Lowther
UNIVERSITY OF YORK 71
LEEDS TRINITY AND ALL SAINTS 0
Wednesday 18th November – BUCS League 2B
The first two tries of Sabrina Ammi’s rugby playing life set the wheels in motion for York women’s rugby team as they crushed Leeds Trinity and All Saints 71-0. Leeds Trinity were never in the game and right from the outset, having arrived with only 13 players, it was a case of how many points York would be able to get on the board.
Despite the lack of real opposition faced by York, they still impressed the few spectators braving the cold; Lizzie Prance had a superb game at Number Eight while Ammi’s running was a constant threat and Captain Emma Hodgson bagged herself a hat-trick and always looked dangerous.
It was clear from the kick-off that York were the better side, Leeds Trinity were playing their first game as a team and it was clear that as a unit they were very inexperienced. It didn’t take long for York to make the breakthrough, the first of many clever off-loads from Prance set up Ammi to dive over the whitewash. Hodgson was unable to convert the extra two points but she didn’t have to wait long for her next opportunity as two minutes later Ammi touched down once again and this time the conversion sailed through to make it 12-0.
It was one-way traffic and it was no surprise at all when Ellen Larson broke off a maul and darted down the blindside to make it 17-0 to the home side, Hodgson doubling her individual tally by once again converting the two extra points.
York were stronger in every tackle as they dismantled Leeds Trinity and All Saints 71-0. Photograph by Catherine Goacher.
The skipper was in on the act again soon after breaking through the line with no difficulty at all and scoring between the posts, this time however her conversion was less successful, crashing onto the crossbar. A brilliant individual try was next on the agenda for York as winger Emma Cooper sprinted half the length of the pitch, outpacing and outmuscling the opposition whenever necessary, to secure York’s fifth try of the half. Second row Fiona Parr then joined the party, scything through the Trinity defence to extend York’s half-time lead to 38-0.
It had been a half where York were exclusively dominant and there had only been one side in the game, the one crumb of comfort for Trinity being the fantastic performance of Fly-Half Lucy Palmer, who tackled particularly well and generally showed her team-mates how it should be done. York will have been ecstatic with their performance, not only were they comfortably in front but they had played attractive and fluent rugby.
Sabrina Ammi scored the first two tries of her UYWRUFC career on Wednesday. Photograph by George Lowther.
The beginning of the second-half was delayed after an injury to a Leeds player and this, aligned with the cold weather, deflated the game for a period of about ten minutes. When York did get going again they did so well and they ran through another five tries. The first of which fell to Cooper who stretched her legs sufficiently to power through the defence of Trinity again, touching down underneath the posts to allow Captain Hodgson to make her fifth conversion.
The eighth try was something of an anomaly in that it was began by some brilliant work by the forwards. Most of York’s success had come through their pacy and elusive backline but this time round it was Kirsty Wheeler who laid the foundations as she barraged her way forward through numerous tackles, the ball was eventually touched down by Hodgson who then converted her own try to make it 52-0. The race was on to see whether it would be Hodgson, Cooper or Ammi who would get their hat-trick first.
Before any of them could bag their third try there were two new names on the score sheet. Ammi once again found a lovely line and offloaded to fellow centre Aimee Miller who ran in to bring it to 59-0. The superb Prance then got the try her performance had richly deserved when Ammi laid on a simple finish for the Number Eight who swotted away Trinity’s full back as if she didn’t exist.
Kate Fullilove, the Club President, led from the front as York claimed their first points of the season. Photograph by George Lowther.
There was still time for the eleventh try of the day to be brought up and it was Hodgson who rounded off the day’s proceedings. Crowd and team-mates alike urged Ammi on as she fought to her way to the try line in search of her hat-trick but she selflessly released her captain, who then added the additional two points to make it 71-0 at the final whistle.
All in all it was a great day for York’s women, a performance full of flair and talent but crucially also grit as displayed by Amy Davies’ tackle on Palmer when she had managed to find her way through York’s defence. Ammi had a great game, as did Hodgson but it was Prance who was the most impressive, passing intelligently to bring in other team mates and epitomising the spirit of a strong and united team.
York Line-up: 1. Ellen Larson. 2 Victoria Cusick. 3. Kirsty Wheeler. 4. Ang Ball. 5. Fiona Parr. 6. Amee Wilson (Lindsay) 7. Sarah McLoughlin (Jess) 8. Lizzie Prance. 9. Amy Davies (Emma Nugent) 10. Emma Hodgson. 11. Kate Fullilove. 12. Aimee Miller. 13. Sabrina Ammi. 14. Emma Cooper (Alex) 15. Claire Beer
Raine Astin-Chamberlain and Nicky Palmer played for Leeds Trinity
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The second row that scored was Fiona Parr (5) not Ang Ball (4) (sorry Ang).
Well played everyone!
And it was Emma Cooper who scored two not kate Fullilove, although kate deserved a try too!!!
Brilliant game!
Sorry about that, I’ll get it changed as soon as I can. Great performance.
Those changes have now been made, hopefully everything is correct. Congratulations on the victory, brilliant performance!
AJS
Thanks Nouse!!