(More than one) Victory for Wirral Warriors

"Honestly, we have had the best time" were the parting words of the Fleetwood players as they hugged the Wirral squad and started their journey home. If that's not the best advert for women's rugby, then I don't know what is.

Saturday saw the return of our league fixtures and a debut for 7 new Warriors as we faced a strong Fleetwood side for our first game of the season. Amongst the debutants were Hana Peters and Holly Plummer, both playing their first senior game having progressed through our girls pathway. This is a massive achievement for both Hana and Holly and a showcase of the hard work of our girls team coaches.

The day started with our youngest Warriors demonstrating their skills as they hosted an open recruitment morning. A tag rugby match showcased excellent handling skills and some amazing running lines from our under 15s and under 13s, but most importantly, there were smiles, cheers and laughter echoing throughout the club as the sun shone over the first team pitch.

As the girls wrapped up their session, 16 warriors stepped out to start their warm up. Although a number of these women had never played rugby before, you could not tell there were any nerves present - there was a charge of excitement in the air. This was such a parallel to last season, where often only 10 warriors would take to the pitch, and it was clear what this meant to the girls and to coach Matt.

A Wirral kick off saw Fleetwood take the first possession, powering forward with an intensity that has to be respected. A huge defensive effort from Wirral saw some thunderous tackles, resulting in a turned over ball that led to powerful centre Jenni Harvey scoring our first try of the day with a textbook running line and exceptional speed.

Still on a high, Wirral charged forward again, showcasing the pod work that we've been working on for weeks. Unfortunately, a spilled ball saw Fleetwood return at pace, with huge leg drives from their forward pack. A high tackle saw a Fleetwood penalty in a dangerous position and despite a brave defensive effort, the ball was powered over the line to even the score.

As the second half began, multiple scrums in quick succession showcased the heart and passion from our forward pack, who were still smiling and laughing with the opposition at each set. The backs, led by our power duo Sam and Steph, looked threatening in possession and made ground whenever they got the ball. As the team played patiently through the phases, a powerful drive saw the ball cross the line again. Becky Solan converted as the sideline supporters celebrated with beers and ice creams.

It wasn't long before Warriors extended their lead, with a powerful forward drive from the kick off making space for our dynamic fly half to take the ball under the sticks again. 17-5.
Fleetwood played with determination and never put their heads down, but every play was met with solid defence and brave tackles. A close fought contest played out until centre Amelia got hold of the ball and sprinted to the try line, expertly supported by debutant Holly.

When the final whistle blew, our junior girls ran onto the pitch to celebrate with the Warriors, who were chatting and laughing with the girls from Fleetwood. The whole scene was the perfect reminder that rugby is about so much more than a score on a board.

Grace Baird
Warriors Captain

Try Scorers: Jennie Harvey, Grace Baird, Stephanie Whitehead, Amelia Jenkins.
Conversion (1): Rebecca Solan
Players of the match: Laura Lewellyn, Sam Olle, Sarah Jones.