Newport Women run in 16 tries in first home league clash - rugby union round-up
Newport Women turned on the style as they powered to a stunning victory in their first home league clash.
The Sirens kept the scoreboard ticking over during a try-fest against visiting Stoke in their NC Three Midlands (North West) clash.
They ran in 16 tries on the way to a 96-0 shutout in front of their own fans at the Old Showground.
Bekah Tagg claimed the individual honours after touching down five times.
Connie Sansom and Gemma Simkin both bagged two tries each, while Kayleigh Naylor, Aimee Hartshorne, Lucie Campbell, Meg Bowyer, Helen Carswell, Daisy Lockwood and Katie Wreyford all scored once. Joanna Crossley and Naylor added four conversions each.
The victory was Newport’s second in three outings and leaves them third in the table.
Bridgnorth making up ground
Bridgnorth will be looking to make up ground on the top four when they return to action in Regional One Midlands this weekend.
The All Blacks welcome Lutterworth to the Edgar Davies Ground on Saturday, sitting eighth in the standings, six points behind their fourth-placed visitors.
And after the second free weekend of the season, head coach Richard Phillips is confident his side can turn the ‘little margins’ in their favour and climb the table in the next block of fixtures.
"I think there have been some massive positives, even though the results aren't exactly what we want,” said Phillips. "We have picked up bonus points in nearly every loss and our defence is third best in the league, so that is a positive and a really big improvement from last year.
"We are not losing games by much at all, we are always in the game and the results aren’t quite going our way overall.
"We are almost there. I'm looking forward to this next block to see if we can turn it around to nick those little wins rather than being on the other side of it.
"All the senior players have reiterated that, they have said we don't really need to change anything, we are going well in a lot of ways. It's trying to back these performances up and get on the other side of these little margins.
"We are good enough to be in that top kind of three. We just need to turn around some unlucky results really."
Newport face the leaders
Newport’s title credentials will be given a stern examination Saturday when they return to action in Regional One Midlands.
The Old Showground outfit are braced for their toughest test of the season so far as they head for table-toppers Stourbridge.
Newport will kick off the clash sitting in third place, two points behind their opponents in what is proving to be a fiercely-contested division, with just seven points separating the top seven.
The visitors will go into the clash as underdogs, but in confident mood having battled to a dramatic 20-19 victory at Banbury last time out.
“It's going to be a tough game, but it these sort of matches you have to relish and we can't wait for that challenge,” said director of rugby Steve Dolphin.
"They will go in as favourites, and rightly so, top of the league and at home. But hopefully we can there and upset them and get another win on the road.”
Dolphin has been pleased with Newport’s start to the season, which has seen them win five of their seven games, but insists they haven’t top gear yet.
“I know there is a lot more to come,” added Dolphin. “We still haven’t quite hit the heights that we want to, but that game is coming
“If we keep working hard on the training paddock, we will get that sort of 80-minute performance and then we will be a challenge for anybody.
“As you can see from the league, if you are not quite on your game then someone will beat you.
“We have got to be ready every single Saturday for the challenge no matter who you are playing.”
Competition at Ludlow
Head coach Tom Tench is adamant there is still more to come from his improving Ludlow squad.
The Linney men return to action in Regional Two Midlands on Saturday away to Shipston-on-Stour following a free weekend, with Tench keen for them to push on in the run of fixtures leading up to the Christmas break
Ludlow have climbed to second in the table on the back of three straight victories, the latest of which saw them beta Hereford 30-22. But Tench insists his side have yet to hit top gear.
"I think there are still huge amounts to come from the boys,” said Tench. In the Hereford game, I felt that we could have gone up another two gears.
“I genuinely believe there is so much growth in this team and as a squad."
And Tench believes the increased competition for a first team shirt will help drive the standards up.
“There are players fighting for positions now, which probably hasn't happened in the last couple of years,” he added. “It didn't happen last year, there was a definite first team second team. That's changed now.
“It's horrible for a coach because I can only select 18 players, but we want it as a club, that there is those internal battles otherwise we will stay stagnant and stay we are.”
After Saturday’s clash with with sixth-placed Shipston, Ludlow face a run of games against sides near the foot of the table, with Tench keen to cash in.
“By no means is there an easy game in this next block of fixtures, but if we are realistic and want to be in the top four, then we have got to come away with as many points as we can,” he said.
Double figures for seconds
Ludlow seconds made the most of their afternoon in the spotlight with a stunning 10-try display in their latest North Midlands Merit outing.
With the first team enjoying a break from action, the seconds took on Bournville thirds at The Linney and a few of the players will have pushed their claims for a step up.
Ben Joss took the individual honours with four tries as Ludlow powered to a 62-12 success.
Sam Brooks touched down twice, while Louis Franklin, Toby Morgan, Chris Tapp and Ben Weller all crossed the white line once. Rhys Evans added kicked six conversions.
The victory left Ludlow fourth in the table. They return to action away to Old Halesonians on November 18.
