The
newly formed 2007-8 Berks U18 Girls County Squad played
their first two County matches on Sunday 21st Oct. at
Reading RFC. They were played triangular style with
2 games of 15min each way first against Essex and then
East Wales.
Squad: Allen, Archer, Byrne, Chappell, Edwards, Field,
Hilbourne, Hunt C, Hunt E, James, Keyohane, Lambdon,
Millar, Newport, Parker, Symes.
Berkshire 7 Essex 5
As you can see from the score line this was a close
fought game! Essex has a big pack which our forwards
did well to contain and although occasionally outgunned
in set scrums, Berks pushed well above their weight
and had more than fair share of turnover ball. Berks
were able to get the upper hand in loose play but found
the Essex forwards difficult to stop. We always looked
like we should be able to make something if we could
swing the ball out but at half time it was still 0-0
and all to play for. Berks looked more relaxed in the
second half (after all, this was a team that beat them
last year and now Berks smelled a win) and eventually
after some good interplay between forwards and backs,
Millar cut a nice inside angle to go over half way between
the posts and the touchline. The conversion by Edwards
put Berks 7-0 up. Essex stepped up a gear and in the
closing minutes a lineout taken close to the Berks line
resulted in their prop crashing over in the corner from
a well worked front-of-lineout move. Fortunately for
Berks, the try was unconverted from the narrow angle
on offer and so the Essex try was the last score of
the match.
Try: Millar. Conversion: Edwards
Berkshire 7 East Wales 5
In Wales, they don’t have a county structure but
play East, North and West regions (with South splitting
between East and West). They play within Wales as well
as outside and the winner of the three Welsh sides earns
the place to go to the Regional tournament.
Berks had settled down after the Essex match and had
chance of a rest before going into this second game.
E Wales are a much more mobile outfit with some fast
players that always looked dangerous. Berks did extremely
well not to concede a try early in the match with several
players putting in try-saving tackles. We had threatened
a couple of times with linked play and close support
looking like breaking them down. Then towards the end
of the first half came a lovely worked try from loose
play on the half way line followed by the hands of just
about all the backs, and some of the forwards, before
being popped back to Archer who had followed across
in support and was able to arc in over the line in the
corner and run in a little before scoring. In the event,
that improved angle was to prove crucial because although
still a difficult kick from way out on the left, Edwards
was able to bag a lovely conversion. 7-0 half time.
The second half saw Berks under constant threat in their
own 22 and the girls exhibited some of the best try
line defence this team has ever produced. Again and
again E Wales tried to go over only to be pushed back,
turned over and see Berks lines cleared. Splendid stuff!
Then E Wales capitalised on a clearance kick that failed
to find touch and were able to run back at us from depth.
Their centre just managed to squeeze over in the corner
but they were unable to convert. The last 7 minutes
of the game were tense, to say the least, with both
sides looking like they could concede another try and
the Berks supporters willing the whistle to be blown
but in the end 7-5 was the way the score ended. Great
result for Berks.
Try: Archer. Conversion: Edwards
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