Eastern Counties Rugby Union

Eastern Counties Women narrowly missed out on a dream finish to their season losing to an impressive Essex County Women’s team, who starved EC of the ball for much of the game, but despite this were only able to score two tries to one in a thrilling and often bruising encounter in the Gill Burns County Championship Div.2 Final. A match that was played in front of passionate and noisy set of supporters at Richmond Athletic Ground, home to both Richmond RFC and London Scottish RFC.

The game started with both teams going hammer and tong at each other, with the respective attack and defence being countered by the other. Essex use of their big forwards being countered by some of the best defensive play seen in an EC shirt. Libby Lockwood (Wymondham Wasps) and Mimi Montgomery leading the charge.

EC had little of the possession, but an early chance allowed slick hands get the ball to Georgie Lingham(Saracens) on the left wing who races towards the line as she has done so often in this campaign, only to be denies by a superb cover tackle by Sally Tuson(Thurrock) at Fullback for Essex.
It was a full 29 minutes before the deadlock was broken, with EC going off their feet in front of the posts allowing Essex to take a simple penalty kick to take a 3-point lead which remained the same until the half time break.

Eastern Counties did make some good ground, with Sam Wilmott taking (Harwich Owls) the ball into heavy traffic on a number of occasions during the game ably supported by fellow her back-row Lockwood and number 8 Sophia John(Wymondham Wasps), as well as the ever present Montgomery.
The first try of the game came 50minutes in, an Essex scrum on the 5m providing a platform to allow them to score an unconverted try to take their lead t0 8-0. Despite this the EC team continued to battle away and a fantastic break by Libby Lockwood taking play deep into the Essex 22m allowed rare quick ball to be shipped to the backline, in which replacement loose head Carmel Leak (Woodbridge Amazons) popped up and charged over the line to score, which was duly converted by Alice Middleton(Shelford) to narrow the score to 8-7 with 20minutes of the game remaining.

Essex scored their second try and what turned out to be the final points of the day, a quick tap by scrum half Ami Parsad(Thurrock) who then fed fly half India Harvey(Thurrock) who despite some desperate defending went over to score a converted try putting them two scores ahead at 15-7 with 8 minutes on the clock.

EC threw everything at Essex in the final stages of the game, captain Lizell Heather making huge inroads after being closed down by an aggressive defence most of the game, however they were unable to add to their score, so the game finished 15-7 with Essex bring crowned champions.
After the game Manager and Head Coach Aaron Swanborough said to the squad “I am immensely proud of what you have achieved as a group and that you should hold your heads high as you have made history being the first EC Women’s team to make a County Championship final”

After the game the players travelled the short distance to the Twickenham Stadium, where alongside their opponents they hosted for an after-match meal and presentations, before they walked up to the Royal box to receive their medals, an experience the Squad and Coaching team will treasure”. The squad then watched the England vs Barbarians game before heading home.

Eastern Counties: Naomi Dobner (Harwich Owls), Kaylee Williams (Vice Captain - Wymondham Wasps). Jasmin Clark (Bury St Edmunds Foxes). Lucy Williams (Harwich Owls), Mimi Montgomery (Harwich Owls). Samantha Willmott (Harwich Owls), Libby Lockwood (Wymondham Wasps). Sophia John (Wymondham Wasps), Georgie Palmer (Bury St Edmunds Foxes), Claire Brickley (Woodbridge Amazons), Steph Durrant (Bury St Edmunds Foxes), Lizell Heather (Captain - Shelford Ladies), Danni Lee (Bury St Edmunds Foxes), Georgie Lingham (Saracens), Alice Middleton (Shelford Ladies) Replacements: Toni Bell (Woodbridge Amazons), Carmel Leak (Woodbridge Amazons), Lauren Richardson (Harwich Owls), Lesley Ming (Shelford Ladies), Katie Roberts (Bury St Edmunds Foxes), Steph Hanratty (Bury St Edmunds Foxes), Becki Hare (Harwich Owls)

Forward of the match: Sophia John (Wymondham Wasps), Back of the match: Dani Lee, Nominated Player: Carmel Leak