Rugby – Murrayfield Wanderers v Hillhead-Jordanhill, BT Women’s Premier League

Wandies take third consecutive League title

It was ‘Winner takes all’ on Sunday as Murrayfield Wanderers and Hillhead-Jordanhill faced off at BT Murrayfield’s 4G pitch for the honour of being capped BT Women’s Premier League Champions, with both sides just needing the win for the title.

And, after a hard fought match, it was Murrayfield Wanderers who were crowned for the third year in a row.

It was far from obvious who the match would go to as Murrayfield started the better and won a penalty inside the Jordanhill 22 early on, but stand-off, Lisa Martin was unable to convert.

As the match progressed the balance of power shifted in favour of the visitors and, 15 minutes in, they scored the opener. From a penalty, won by their pack, inside the Wanderers half, they moved the play quickly up to the opposition 22 and the’ ever present Jade Konkel was on hand to send flanker, Hannah Telling over for the try. No. 10, Ally Cook then scored the extras to make it 7-0 to Jordanhill.

Less than five minutes later, Murrayfield opened their account with a try from a rolling maul by prop, Sarah Quick.

The play had begun a back outside the 22 when a tip tackle on one of the Wanderers drew the attention off the officials. Words were spoken and warnings issued and, from the resultant penalty line out, the home side won the ball and drove Quick over on the left for the try. The conversion was, unfortunately missed so Hillhead retained their lead at 7-5.

The next score was another Hillhead try after 25 minutes of play which saw the game, at that point, gradually swing in favour of the Glasgow side. As ever, Jade Konkel, a powerful force in Scottish Women’s rugby at the moment, used all of her considerable power to drive the Jordanhill attack and force the game up to the Murrayfield five metre line. The try was eventually scored by centre, Abi Evans, who used the momentum from a tap penalty to find a bit space and, managing to keep her hands free, reached out from a group tackle to dot down for the try. Cook missed the conversion, but it was 12-5 to Jordanhill and things were looking good for the visiting side.

Or, at least, they were for all of 10 minutes. As Murrayfield came back into the game, they almost drove over for a try from a rolling maul, but their second try came via a backs’ move. A kick-and-chase into the right corner from centre, Eilidh Sinclair was put out by Jordanhill for a throw. Winning a penalty from the line out, the ball was moved threw the hands from the tap and full back, Chloe Rollie, made full use of the slow defence to break across the pitch and give wing, Eva Rojas Bonet every chance to run in the try. Once again, the conversion attempt slid wide so the teams went into the break at 12-10 to Hillhead.

Five minutes into the second half saw the lead change hands for the first time as the home side scored their third try of the match. The lead up to the try involved a long, scything run from Rollie, who carried the ball across the pitch before breaking up-field and driving deep into the Jordanhill 22. A scrum penalty, won by Murrayfield, set up a line out, from which, a rolling maul rolled prop, Beth Dickens over the line for the try. With the conversion missed again, Murrayfield now had a narrow, three-point lead into the last half-hour, at 15-12.

The match now began to be played further away from the Wanderers’ line as they used their big players to fend off the Hillhead offensive, but a lapse in concentration at one point almost saw Hillhead over the line, but, disaster averted, a penalty in the dying minutes from No. 10, Lia Martin, saw them over the line for their third title in as many years.

Images from the match will appear here over the next few days.