After a cancellation of Round 1 at Loughborough due to the frozen conditions and a late change of venue from Boston to Newark, this was the girls’ first taste of rugby in a while. With a format of 4 teams attending in 25 minute matches, two pitches were used with each team playing 2 games. The girls had been waiting for a match for some time, especially at Kelham Road, after much anticipation they were raring to go, just shame the weather wasn’t. A very cold, wet and windy afternoon played out with a committed crowd of supporters on the side-lines. Newark’s first game was against All MAC’s a cluster team of Melbourne, Ashby and Coalville, we hadn’t played them since U12 so were keen to play a ‘new side’. With gusts of wind and sideways rain, you could be forgiven for thinking that it was going to be an old fashioned ‘shove it up your jersey’ day. However, Newark showed a lot of skill and commitment to the way they want to play. The game finished 28 - 5 with the girls coming off looking quite cold and wet. Using any coats we could find to wrap them up we had a quick team talk behind a container to shelter from the elements. Our next game was against Derbyshire Dragons a team we have played more than once and every time it has been a close game. Once the game kicked off Dragons pounced on a loose ball and ran in a try, some harsh words were exchanged under the posts and Newark focussed in. They competed at the breakdowns and made their opposition work hard, every opportunity they got they took and after 12 more minutes Newark were up 19 – 5. The opposition decided they had had enough of the conditions and asked to finish the game early, we obliged and sent them in to get changed and warm up.

A great team performance on display by the girls, showing a lot of resilience in the face of ‘sub optimal’ conditions.

Written by Mark Gill