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Wimbledon Ladies 37 Wodbridge Amazons 0
If Sky Sports were to be showing this game, it would have been billed, in the usual -over the top way- as a 'Clash of the Titans'- 'Super Sunday', 'the Title Decider'- call it what you will. It is too early in the season to be viewing this game as that, there is plenty of rugby to be played before the awards are handed out in May, a fact that the Ladies are well aware of. However, what it was, was a perfect opportunity to show that the Ladies mean business this year-and what a showing it was.
Both sides went into this head to head at the weekend defending perfect records in the league, albeit with Woodbridge having played 2 games fewer than Wimbledon but the Dons have been far more convincing in their displays-certainly in terms of scores. The previous results had suggested that Woodbridge were maybe lacking some of the attacking potency and ease of scoring- something that the Dons were eager to show- and so it proved.
Wimbledon have started most games this season at a very high tempo in a bid to push teams onto the backfoot and assert their dominance. They started well again yesterday but were maybe suffering from a touch of nerves that reduced the explosiveness in their play. Woodbridge are also well equipped to deal with forward pressure up front, boasting one of the bigger packs that the Dons will come up against in the League and more technically competent than others- they also had a couple of pacey and talented backs who caused 1 or 2 early problems but the Dons soon began to show what their game was all about.
Making good ground in the loose once they had worked the ball away from the Woodbridge pack and the set piece-that was providing plenty of competition- good bursts from Jo on the wing, Gutti and Foxy up the middle as well as Jen from the base of the scrum had the Ladies on the front foot-stopped from scoring only by a few early penalties. Fortunately though, with a strong wind into their faces and Woodbridge deciding not to hand the ball to their kicker (if they had one), meant that the pressure stayed on the Woodbridge line as the Dons hit up well in defence, forcing the opposition players into handling mistakes and taking full advantage of any loose ball. It was from a sustained period of pressure that Gutti went over for the first try, stretching to put the ball down out wide after the forwards had worked the Woodbridge defence to leave space where any one of 3 players could have scored. The try went unconverted but the Dons were soon back on the attack with Sonic linking the play between backs and forwards and Cheese making good use of the runs of Marie, Charlie, Jen and Randy off 10 as well as the 12 and 13 channels using Gutti and Fox.
5-0 became 10-0 a short while later as from a similar build up, Olivia touched down to continue her superb scoring run, running in from 20m out as the defence struggled to cover across as Kate who was joining the line well, and Fox made ground into the 22. It was obvious from the first 20 mins of the game that the forwards would have a battle on their hands as Woodbridge continued to compete well at the break down and the contact area and that the backs would need to take chances when they came along. There were a number of forward drives off line out which were thwarted by Woodbridge players getting on to the ball- one that included a push over try that was held up- with the subsequent scrum also coming to nothing. It wasnt the say the forwards were struggling, more that they were struggling to exert their usual overwhelming dominance.
With half time approaching, the Ladies were working hard to prevent Woodbridge from making any real forays into their territory, albeit with some help from the Woodbridge backs who were unable to put any real moves together with the exception of their centre and full back who both looked talented, speedy and threatening players with ball in hand- something that occurred all too infrequently for the liking of the opposition. They were powerless though to stop Wimbledon going over for their third try shortly before the break.
Good work down the left wing had ruthlessly exposed a creaking defence and so it proved as Gutti stepped her way through to score her 2nd try of the game under the posts, the try being unconverted again, but the Dons were showing enough threat to suggest that the scoring would continue into the 2nd half.
Woodbridge have come back strongly in a lot of their games in the 2nd half, possibly against opposition who were struggling to sustain a challenge and keep their danger players in check- but any thoughts they had of using the wind advantage they had and an opportunity to kick off deep in Wimbledon territory were snuffed out by a rampaging Charlie Willis who took 5 defenders on before eventually being stopped just short of the 22. It was a run that drove deep into the heart of opposition territory and set the Ladies up to launch further attacks as they went in search of the bonus point that comes with 5 tries scored in this league.
The 4th try arrived soon after the break as Gutti waltzed through a floundering Woodbridge defence for her first hat-trick in a Wimbledon shirt-(much to the relief of Olivia it must be stated who has been hit rather hard in the pocket recently with her try-scoring exploits. She ran back to the half way line shouting 'I don't have to buy the jugs now!') The try was converted leaving the Ladies in a commanding 22-0 lead and having made a few changes, had retained a freshness to compete with the Woodbridge pack.
Jen continued to make ground from the base of the scrum. Marie, who was superb again, was causing problems in the loose, there were good runs from Kate and Olivia and all the players showed impressive handling skills to feed the ball out the tackle, defying the difficult and slippery conditions. The quickness of the play was creating plenty of space and the pressure in defence meant that the Woodbridge players rarely had space or time to put together any kind of patterns.
The much coveted bonus point try arrived with about 15 minutes left on the clock. The ball was worked wide with lots of rucking and some good passing out the tackle that created space on the right hand side. That space was exploited by a combination of Marie, Kate and Olivia and ended up with Kate stepping inside the full back to score again under the posts- the kick unfortunately not being converted but the Dons were soon back at the Woodbridge players, putting the pressure on and forcing mistakes.
Try 6 arrived following a ball that was passed back from the Woodbridge scrum and was not dealt with as it bounced around and Sonic, ever the poacher from the back of the scrum, touched down before the defence could get back to clear. Marie went close with the conversion but at 32-0, the Dons were sitting pretty and continuing to create chances. As time drew to a close, there was still an opportunity to increase the score and in almost a carbon copy of Kates try, Olivia burst down the right hand side past the wilting Woodbridge defence to score try number 7 and complete the scoring at a very healthy 37-0.
Jen did sustain a particularly nasty cut above the eye in the final moments but as the final whistle went on yet another Wimbledon win, the Ladies can be left to reflect on what was a fantastic performance played in difficult and slippery conditions. Woodbridge will continue to press hard in the League, especially with their 2 games in hand and the Ladies face some difficult trips, not least to Woodbridge but also away to Portsmouth and Chesham, but they know that they currently hold a 15 point lead over their nearest rivals and can take heart from performances like this one, starting with a trip to play Hammersmith and Fulham this coming weekend. The awards are as listed below but special mentions must also go to Cheese who was excellent in defence and attack, Sonic who linked the forwards and backs very well and Kate who worked hard from full back as well as putting in some vital early tackles that stopped tries that could have made the result far less comfortable.
Player of the Match- Gutti- a hat-trick of tries and some good runs too that meant she caused problems and was a threat all afternoon.
Forward of the Match- Marie- she was everywhere- a real leaders performance and showed some good work in the loose.
Back of the Match- Jo- an impressive performance with some good hitting when required and some strong runs that brought others into the game.
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