On Sunday 6th February the amazing EGRFC women took to the field in their first defeat of the season. The game of many scrums, amazing team work and some hard hits.

We may have lost by points, but we did not lose with effort and passion for the game we all love.

From the off, EGRFC came out with full force and held their own and kept Portsmouth in their half where we saw the first try of the game. Naomi Searle saw the ball over the line after running through Portsmouth’s defence and got it under the posts. Naomi then converted her try.

7 – 0.

From the restart, the tackles coming in from Poppy Keenor and Holly Gunter were one after the other. The defensive line from EGRFC kept Portsmouth in their own half once again and the team came together to get the ball up the field many times but it didn’t go in our favour.

Portsmouth were awarded one of the many scrums of the game and this saw them get the ball out and over the line to get their first try of the match. This was unconverted.

Restart again and the EGRFC women were not letting up. The tackles coming from every single EGRFC woman were hard hitting and strong. The backs kept their line and managed to keep Portsmouth from scoring. Portsmouth got close to scoring but the pack held the ball up. Fantastic play from Claire Sutton and Victoria Teasdale to stop them getting it over. The calls from captain Jo Cox-Goodsell, Vice Captain Naomi Searle and Holly Gunter kept the team tight and together.

31 minutes and Portsmouth win the line out and get their second try of the game. This was converted.

Half time score – 7 – 12.

Restart saw EGRFC come out fighting. Their heads held high and pure determination to win the ball from the opposition.

Sian Lewis was everywhere on the pitch. She popped up everywhere and saved another try from being scored. Steph Shackel came sprinting across the pitch to get the oppositions winger, tackling her into touch, line out to EGRFC.

Sian Lewis once again won the line out with a big lift from Jo and Claire and we managed to get the ball out, down from Bronwyn O’donoghue, to Sunita Cleary, to Elizabeth Mccarthy, making a run up the wing with support from Natasha Gayle. Tash passed it back in to Naomi Searle who kicked it up the pitch and the chase was on.

Portsmouth got possession and ran it into our defence. The tackles were superb and relentless but we were unable to stop the opposition breaking through and they scored the next try of the game. This was unconverted.

7 - 17

This was followed by a further try from Portsmouth despite EGRFCs best efforts to stop them. They didn’t get it easy but they managed to get through and score in the corner.

Unconverted, 7 - 22.

Another try just before the end of the game came from Portsmouth to finish the game 7 – 27.

Despite the loss, EGRFC Women showed true grit and never gave up. The tackles, the ball skills, the pure determination shone through. The team worked together from beginning to end and team spirit was high.

This team is coming on leaps and bounds and I would like to say that watching them on Sunday was a privilege. I am proud of how well they do even in the face of the first defeat of the season. It shows that points are not always the main thing you need, it is the team and the family that you have around you when you are playing the game, on and off the pitch.

Well done ladies, you forever make me proud.

Suzi – Chairwoman Women and Girls

Woman of The Match – Holly Gunter
Back of the Match – Poppy Keenor
Forward of The Match – Sian Lewis
Debut game – Kai

Photo Credits - Ben Hardisty Images