Lancs women fall short

[josie andrews]

Wigan’s Georgia Wilson scores for Lancashire as red rose County fall short to Yorkshire

FT | Lancashire Women’s 8-14 Yorkshire Women’s

Four Warriors feature in Women’s Origin fixture
The Warriors had four representatives as Lancashire fell short in a close encounter against Yorkshire in the Women’s Origin at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool on Sunday afternoon.
Wigan Women’s Rachel Thompson, Vanessa Temple and Georgia Wilson all started the game for the red roses, with Lucy Baggaley also featuring off the interchange bench.

It was an end to end contest in the first forty, with Lancashire testing Yorkshire early on and it was the red rose County who struck first. After working down the right, Tara Jones (St Helens) made a dart for the whitewash from dummy half and slammed the ball down, Stanley missing the conversion but Lancashire had the early 4-0 advantage.

The ball soon swung back in Yorkshire’s favour though, Sinead Peach (Castleford) diving over from short range in the 21st minute, in similar fashion to the first try, Marshall adding the extras. Yorkshire extended their lead just before half time as Amy Hardcastle (Bradford) somehow muscled her way over, fooling a number of red rose shirts to get the ball down and put Yorkshire out to 10-4 at the half time hooter.

Yorkshire came out looking fresh and were over again in the 48th minute, this time Rhiannion Marshall selling a dummy and going in under the uprights, Roche missing the conversion from close range to make it 14-4 in the white roses favour.

Georgia Wilson made some good movement down the right wing as Lancashire looked for a way back into the game, but the red roses couldn’t quite find the clinical finish to get over, that was until the 68th minute as the Warriors Georgia Wilson went over in the right corner after some slick hand work from Lancashire. Stanley couldn’t quite get the distance on the conversion and it was Lancashire 8-14 Yorkshire, handing the white rose County the win on the day.

MATCH REACTION
Wigan head coach Amanda Wilkinson was alongside Shaun Briscoe to head up the Lancashire side, on the game, she said: “I thought Lancashire were probably the better team on the day, but it’s all about completion and keeping errors minimal and getting over the line, I think that’s where we lacked today. We had plenty of chances but made some errors.”

She added: “I think the intensity keeps lifting, and I think players are getting better in all aspects as well. It was a great kicking game today from both sides and the standard across the board was high. To think some star players were missing for Lancashire today too, that could have made a great difference to the two teams but it was a great contest.”

On the individual performances: “From a Lancashire perspective, I think Emily Rudge was a different class, her work rate was unbelievable and Rachel Thompson did well too, we had to move her to the halves and she put in some good effort.”

“I think the Wigan girls all did well too. Ness is still learning as each game goes by, at this level she’s putting in a massive effort whilst still learning. Georgia had a great game, she’s really come on and Lucy Baggaley too. Lucy is only very young still and games like this are important for her in the development of the game, it can only do her the World of good playing on this kind of stage.”

Wigan’s Georgia Wilson scored for the red rose County, on her performance, Wilson said: “It was a great game, it was always going to be tough against the Yorkshire girls who are a big, strong pack. Close in the end, but I thought we did well as a team. Personally, I was happy with my performance, compared to last year when I played for Lancashire I think I’ve improved, and it was good to get out there and jump over the try line.”

Full Time: Lancashire Women’s 8-14 Yorkshire Women’s Lancashire Starting Line Up: Tara Jane Stanley, Leah Burke, Rachel Thompson, Naomi Williams, Georgia Wilson, Jodie Cunningham, Zoe Harris, Amy Johnson, Tara Jones, Sarah Lovejoy, Emily Rudge, Vanessa Temple, Chantelle Crowl

Lancashire Interchanges: Michelle Davis, Roxy Murdoch, Katie-May Williams, Lucy Baggaley

Tries: Tara Jones, Georgia Wilson

Goals: Tara Jane Stanley 0/2

Yorkshire Starting Line Up: Caitlin Beevers, Savannah Andrade, Amy Hardcastle, Ashleigh Hyde, Kelsey Gentles, Georgia Roche, Hanna Butcher, Shona Hoyle, Sinead Peach, Dannielle Anderson, Tamzin Renouf, Daisy Sanderson, Rhiannion Marshall

Yorkshire Interchanges: Charlotte Booth, Grace Field, Katherine Hepworth, Leah Jones

Tries: Sinead Peach, Amy Hardcastle, Rhiannion Marshall

Goals: Rhiannion Marshall 1/2 Georgia Roche 0/1