365 Sporting Days – New!

Round 2 of the PWR saw a host of World Cup stars at the Stonex Stadium as Harlequins travelled across London for the London Derby.

A crowd of 4000 mostly filled the 1 open stand. Somewhat short of the 80000 that saw the Final. But a decent crowd all the same.

Quins kicked off and kicked too far, Saracens came away from the scrum on the halfway line with a penalty for offside in their pockets. They didn’t need the penalty as Zoe Harrison sent a long and high pass to Alysha Corrigan on the wing who ran in to score.

Saracens were awarded a penalty deep in the Quins half, they rolled the maul, moving the ball when it went sidewards. Their 2nd try was scored by Kelsey Clifford. It was funny to hear Marlie Packer remind Sir there was a TMO, when he hesitated to award the try. Harrison converted the try, to take Saracens to 12.

With just over 10 minutes on the clock Jemma Jo Linkins scored Saracens 3rd try out on the right wing. Another successful kick took Saracens to a 19 point lead.

There was a pause in play for an injury to Quins Fi Mckintosh who was pulled down in a lineout. Happily she returned to play.

Another couple of penalties Quins way saw them go close, before the referee got in their way! They moved the ball quickly from the scrum and with Ellie Kildunne on the ball she gave a pass to Katie Shillaker on the wing who ran into space to score. The score was Saracens 19 Quins 5.

Poppy Cleall was shown a yellow card for slapping the ball out of the Quins 9’s hands, on 28 minutes. Quins rolled over the line to score, with a TMO check for a lost ball. And so it was, the try was disallowed. Bringing Quins back for the resulting scrum.

No Poppy, no problem, Marlie Packet stormed away from the base of the scrum. That took the play back into the Quins half.

The ball stayed in the Quins half, albeit in different hands until Letitia Royer scored, on her debut. The conversion was good and the score moved to Saracens 26 Quins 5. The teams went in at halftime on that score. Quins failing to score during the sin bin period.

Ellie Kildunne kicked into touch after Saracens started the 2nd half. Saracens knocked on in the line out. Saracens won a penalty in the scrum, the kick taking them into the Quins half.

Quins won the put in to a scrum as the ball went to ground in Saracens hands from the line out. A couple of knock ons later Quins had the put in to a scrum in the Saracens half.

Alysha Corrigan started the scoring in the 1st half and did the same in the 2nd, after some tooing and froing in the Saracens half. A lovely pass from Packer saw her clear to run in for her 2nd try. The conversion took the score to Saracens 33 Quins 5.

Saracens rolled half the pitch after a line out, a quite remarkable sight. Their efforts were halted by a later forward pass. Quins won a penalty in the line out.

Saracens won the ball back after Quins went to the ground with the ball. Saracens were awarded the penalty in the scrum on this occasion.

A big forward pass from Saracens after the line out halted a promising attack. Quins cleared the ball from the scrum but were still in their own half. Saracens threw the ball too far then gave away a penalty.

Claudia Pena put in a great kick for Quins, a 50/22 giving her team a useful attacking platform. Cleall gave away a penalty in the maul, taking Quins closer to the Saracens line. Quins knocked the ball into Saracens hands at the line out, allowing them to clear their lines.

Julia Omokhaule who’d had a great game looked to be in some difficulty, but had her ankle strapped and carried on.

Kildunne had a run down the wing, which is to be cheered as an England fan, feared as a Saracens fan. Her kick through was a good one but not pounced on by either team.

With 8 minutes remaining Kildunne got on the score sheet, after a great dummy and run by Pena, before she passed to Kildunne, taking the score to Saracens 33 Quins 10. It was, a lovely try.

Saracens scored with a forwards effort, with Louise McMillan touching down. The conversion took the score to Saracens 40 Quins 10.

To add insult to injury Saracens scored with less than a minute remaining on the clock, Amelia McDougall taking over the work of the forwards to score. The conversion saw the final score Saracens 47 Quins 10.