Match Round-up: PWR Semi-final, Gloucester-Hartpury vs Trailfinders Women
GLOUCESTER HARTPURY VS TRAILFINDERS WOMEN
Trailfinders Women beat Gloucester-Hartpury away from home in our first ever PWR semi-final.
Tries from Georgia Ponsonby, Meg Jones, Emma Uren and a double from Isla Norman-Bell secured us a hard fought victory against the reigning PWR champions, earning us a place in our first ever PWR final on the 28th June at Twickenham Stoop.
Trailfinders kicked off to Gloucester-Hartpury in front of a roaring Queensholm crowd, with dry conditions and a tense atmosphere setting the scene for an exciting match!
Carys Cox was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock on in our 22 as a Gloucester-Hartpury attack looked threatening. With a player in the bin, Gloucester-Hartpury scored through Tatyana Heard, and Lleucu George converted to give them an early lead.
After driving up-field from a penalty kick to touch, Trailfinders Women put in a fantastic collection of phases in the Gloucester-Hartpury 22, resulting in Georgia Ponsonby diving over from close range to score a try just four minutes after Heard’s score. Niamh Gallagher couldn’t add the extras, but we had narrowed the gap with just 14 players on the field.
With momentum on our side Trailfinders Women attacked again, as the pack drove us forwards with some brutal carries. Claire Gallagher grubbered the ball through a splintered defensive line, and Meg Jones profited for our second try. Niamh Gallagher nailed the conversion to extend our lead to 7-12.
After some kick tennis between the two sides, Claire Gallagher spotted some space and cleared the ball forward, pinning her ears back to secure the bouncing ball, before offloading to Isla Norman-Bell, who ran in to score under the posts. From out in front Niamh Gallagher scored the conversion to extend our lead, with five minutes left of the half.
In the final five minutes of the half, Trailfinders Women started building phases in the Gloucester-Hartpury 22. Eventually their defence narrowed, and a crossfield kick found its way into Meg Jones’ hands, she stepped off her left and cut back in, before Emma Uren hit the ball at pace coming round the corner for a switch and dove over for our fourth try on the stroke of half-time. From the touchline Niamh Gallagher’s conversion sailed slightly wide of the uprights, but we headed back into the changing rooms at half-time with a 17 point lead.
Half-time Gloucester-Hartpury 7-24 Trailfinders Women
After five minutes of pressure from Gloucester-Hartpury they eventually scored when they span the ball wide to Rachel Lund, and George scored the conversion from out on the left.
Georgia Brock burrowed over from close range for Gloucester-Hartpury’s third try, and George added the extras to narrow the scores. Alivia Leatherman was also sent to the sin bin for repeated Trailfinders Women infringements.
From out of nowhere Carys Cox cut inside and broke the line leaving multiple defenders in her wake, before offloading to the onrushing Isla Norman-Bell, who grabbed her second try of the game under the posts. However Niamh Gallagher ran out of time on the shot clock for her conversion attempt.
Despite some ferocious defence from Trailfinders Women, Hannah Dallavalle eventually scored out wide on the left. However they didn’t make the conversion, with George running out of time too.
With the clock in the red Gloucester-Hartpury tried to play out their own half, but after a knock on Isla Norman-Bell booted the ball to touch to end the game, with Trailfinders Women booking their place in the PWR final.
Full-time Gloucester-Hartpury 26-29 Trailfinders Women
Gloucester-Hartpury: 26
Tries – Tatyana Heard 10, Rachel Lund 46, Georgia Brock 51 Hannah Dallavalle 68
Conversions – Lleucu George 11 47 52
Trailfinders Women: 29
Tries – Georgia Ponsonby 14, Meg Jones 20, Isla Norman-Bell 34 53, Emma Uren 40
Conversions – Niamh Gallagher 21 35
Yellow Cards – Carys Cox 9, Alivia Leatherman 51