National Cup Quarter final action, with an obvious place in the Semi's at stake.
Weeks of work had gone into this fixture from the coaches to get the right side out and just when you think everything is sorted a spanner is thrown into the works. Ffion gets herself a call up for the weekend to play for Wales U18s v Scotland U18s in Endinburgh..........Extremely well done Ffion and long may it continue........but the trouble caused from this was seen in training..........6 different people training as hooker, 6 different people training as line out thrower.
The midweek disruption added to the pressure of knock out rugby, and from the side lines it was evident the girls were rather nervous when the game started.
Weather conditions didn't set for a fast expansive game. The rain the night before.......and days before, coupled with the winds on sunday made this game very forwards orientated.
The first 20 minutes of the game was a nervy affair, with both teams attempting to work the other one out. Welwyn were clearly a close knit group of girls and played a very disciplined style of rugby. They moved it with the forwards and then when needed moved it to the backs spreading the Worcs defence.
Worcs girls could see they had a game on their hands and after some early Welwyn pressure Worcester started to gain the edge in the contest. The commitment at breakdowns to stop Welwyn and/or recycle the ball was immense.
Couple this with some monsterous hits coming in from both forwards and backs started to tell on the game.
Worcesters first try came after some sustained pressure and huge hits. Worcester kept recycling the ball with some brilliant rucking which resulted in a try out wide on the right for the forwards........The kicker would have liked a much easier kick for sure to start the day, but saying that it was nailed from out wide right between the posts.
Welwyn continued to press and had sustained spells of pressure in the first half which on another day could have resulted in several tries, but Worcester defence held strong and with that came another try....this time out wide on the left.....Another try the kicker would have liked closer to the posts, but another kick straight between the sticks.
At 14-0 some teams would have dropped their heads, but not Welwyn with still time in the first half they mounted some hard sustained pressure on the Worcester line which resulted in a lovely try on the left, which was unfortunately not converted.
Half time came (14-5 to Worcester) and it was clear the coaches had a job on their hands. The pressure was certainly telling and coaches had to give pep talks to the girls to let them know it......1 more half of rugby would get you into the semi's, no matter your position, work as a team, move as a unit and we will win this.
Come the second half and you could see the coaches smiles on their face as the girls took to the task they had been asked and started inserting themselves on the game from the off, with the only sticking point being the scrum, but this was to come good as well.
The forwards continued to work well as a unit and kept recycling the ball, along with the help from the backs who appeared to proper (again) out jackal the forwards.
The first try of the second half was another forwards try, and after a whole team effort. Worcester moved the ball to the left and after several phases of play the forwards got the ball over the line.....out wide again.....This time the kick wasn't successful.
2 more second half tries were to follow after some nice interplay between the team, and some strong running lines, and yes it was 2 more tries for the forwards, but this time they were kinder to the kicker and gave easier kicks which were converted.
Welwyn certainly never gave up in the game despite injuries and other issues and gave their all for the whole game, and were certainly a credit to their club.
Worcester now move onto the Semi finals of the national cup, with a rare away fixture against a Sandal RFC team who beat Liverpool St Helens in their Quarter final 19-5. It sure has the makings of a great Semi final.
One thing on the coaches mind this week I'm sure will be the issue of "white line fever" from the girls.........We could have made it easier for ourselves if we had shipped that pass once more instead of going for the contact with differing results. But we live and learn, and move onto the semi's.
A big well done girls. We are all proud of you and how you have bonded as a team over the course of the year. Keep it going, you've got this.....#Sofartop4inthecountry #UptheWorcesterRFC
