Epping Women’s 1st XV away to Hammersmith & Fulham

Epping Women’s 1st XV away to Hammersmith & Fulham

The Thornwood Girls made their way over to Hammersmith & Fulham’s ground, over 2 hours away by train or car, looking forward to a game against a team that has had some good results themselves.

From the kickoff, Epping pinned H&F back in their 22 with the now familiar crunching tackles and the “Wall of Noise” H&F panicked, knocked on, and soon a scrum was awarded to Epping. The Epping girls set up confidently.
Nina, BJ & Kerrie in the front row, Alexa & Anna in the 2nd row, with India & Larry on the flanks and BK at 8. H&F’s scrum however, shocked everyone by shoving Epping backwards at a rate.

BK scrabbled to get the ball out, Donna was put under pressure and the remaining girls in the scrum were 3 or 4 metres behind where they’d started when they stood up. Our Backs worked the ball along the line, but were also under pressure from a disciplined and vocal opposition back line, and the attack was thwarted.

Mistakes were made on both sides, and from a dropped ball, India kicked forward, chased and kicked again. The ball bobbled over the line, and India dropped on it under pressure from 2 chasers. But the ref decided it had been touched by the defenders first, so no try. A goal line drop out followed and the ball was sent all the way back to halfway from the kick.
Epping gathered and began their work again.

The ball struggled to get all the way to Shammah on the right wing, but in defence, by her sheer pace and aggression she terrified the opposition winger into repeated mistakes

Kerrie, India & Alexa carried, Donna barked orders and set the plays. Ella H set the backs and the ball was whipped along the line, through Mel, Emma & Ella D until Ella H herself looped all the way around and streaked down the left wing to go over for the first score. Millie converted a long range shot and the score was 0-7

H&F didn’t wait long to put the pressure back on, with a try coming from punching through the middle of the ruck. No conversion though, so score 5-7

A bloody nose for Kerrie saw an early replacement with Jane coming on in the front row. Captain Donna was on a mission, tackling anyone in sight, putting down players no matter what size, and after a passage of play that saw hard work and carries from all the forwards, Donna inevitably went over for her own try. Conversion missed - Score 5-12

H&F took the restart, and the ball dropped straight into the arms of Ella D on the left wing.
Ella D needs no encouragement to run, and she set off at an electric pace to streak down the wing and dot down out wide. The conversion attempt just dropped short, so the score was 5-17.

At this point we have to mention flanker India’s work rate. After 25 or more tackles, we stopped counting, but safe to say she was giving a text book display of what an open side flanker should be.
She was everywhere.
In attack and defence.
The opposition were sick of the sight of her.

With 40 minutes gone, and everyone on the touchline waiting for the whistle, the ref somehow let play continue for another 10 minutes and in that time H&F scored another try from short range.

Now the ref blew for half-time.
Score 10-17.

Some reassurance and wise words from level heads like Alexa, Donna & Millie in the huddle, encouragement from the Coaches, and the girls were ready to go again.

So too were H&F, because they scored first from yet another punch through the middle of the ruck.

The score was now 15-17.

This close score served to galvanise the Thornwood girls. From a set move, Ella popped the ball up to Mel and received it straight back on the loop. Spotting a gap, she accelerated through to burst over the line again for her 2nd try
15-22

Five more minutes of play in the middle of the park, with some dropped balls from both sides due to the greasy conditions, but an improved scrummaging performance from Epping, saw them gain possession and once again ship the ball to Ella D who went over for her second

With the try converted and the score now at 15-29, the smiles started to return to our girls faces, and it began to show in their game.
Eden had replaced Shammah on one wing and Alicia was on the other. Lauza & Kiera were on in the Forwards. Millie had moved to the centres and Ella D to Full back

A short break in play, whilst an unlucky Rachel was replaced, after dislocating her little finger, (All sorted at the local hospital, but apparently it’s too swollen for nose-picking now). Then it was back to business, and back to normality as Ella Hoye got her third and Millie got her first of the day in quick succession.

Score 15-43

The H&F forwards were by now beginning to lag, and our fitter forwards repeatedly broke through their line. Five minutes later, and Millie scorched around everyone again and put it down under the posts. Converting her own try, she brought the score up to 15-50 and the ref blew for full time.

The team gave a superb display of what resilience means today. When the calls weren’t going their way with disallowed tries or scrum decisions, or when the opposition clawed their way back, the Thornwood girls kept their heads, kept to the plan, and kept going. Each and every one of the players did their job, worked hard and didn’t stop.

For the Forward of the match award, Alexa was close in the running for her monumental display of tireless work, but the award had to go to India, our diminutive flanker, for a show-stopping display.

Back of the Match was also a close run thing between the 2 Ellas, but it was just shaded by Ella Hoye for her Hat-trick of tries

Captain Donna won the “Granny-Smasher” award, for her work-rate over the entire
80 minutes. Leading by example again.

Only one more game left before the Christmas break, a home game next Sunday (10th) against Belsize Park. Come along to the club to be thoroughly entertained by this bunch of outstanding women.

MVDT