Bath Rugby Ladies Seconds 36 Yeovil Ladies 28

It was the final game of the season for Bath Rugby Ladies’ Second Team on Sunday, 17th April, facing the visiting Yeovil Ladies at sunny Lambridge. Bath had lost the return fixture, played before Christmas, 75–5.

Bath started positively, with strong running from prop, Hannah Saunders and an excellent lineout steal from Captain, Kerry Pickering, taking just three minutes to push the ball wide to fullback, Zoe Gabbidon, who showed great strength to beat three defenders and score the home side’s first try under the posts. The try was converted by fly-half, Rhian Evans, to give Bath an early 7–0 lead. Gabbidon added a second score shortly afterwards, 12–0.

However, Yeovil were quick to fight back, pushing the ball quickly wide to the wing, who ran around the Bath defence to canter under the posts for the visitors’ first score. They quickly added another try in the same vein, going into the second quarter with a 12–14 lead.

Bath stepped up the defensive effort, putting great pressure on Yeovil, which forced a number of handling errors. Centre, Emily Sherwood, found space with a fantastic line, latching onto a well-timed pass from fly-half, Evans and scoring under the posts, with Evans adding the conversion. Sherwood added a second score shortly before the break, smartly intercepting to score under the posts. Half-time score 24–14.

Yeovil came back strongly in the second half, despite having no substitutes and the heat of the day, putting in a very gutsy display and leading to another score just after the break, 24–21. However, the Bath Seconds, with fantastic support from the first team on the sidelines, continued to attack, with strong running from front row pair, Hannah Saunders and Ellie Pinnock, setting the tone. After some fantastic handling from the centres, the ball once again found fullback, Gabbidon, who showed incredible strength and pace to beat five Yeovil players and cross for her hat trick, 29–21.

Yeovil didn’t back down, adding another try with seven minutes remaining, creating tense final moments with the score at 29–28. However, with five minutes to go, Bath wing, Nina Croker, picked up the ball after a Yeovil fumble on the half-way line and crossed the whitewash after some impressive running. Rhian Evans converted to bring the final score to 36–28, with the home side able to celebrate a win at the end of its first ever season.

Forward of the Match was openside flanker and Captain, Kerry Pickering, while Back of the Match went to scrum-half, Elinor Evans.

Bath Ladies Seconds coach, Rob Pickup, said: “A massive thank you to everyone who has played for Bath Ladies Second team this season. It’s been a brilliant first season for the players on the pitch and for me as a coach. Finishing the season by beating a team that beat us 75-5 before Christmas, then today beating them 36-28 with a bonus point, at home, in front of a huge crowd – I can honestly say it’s been an absolute pleasure being involved with the team this season.”