Forward of the match - Michelle Dilley
Back of the match – Kirsty Jones
Try Scorer- Conversion-
Michelle Dilley Un-converted
Lucy Shipley Bennett Kiyomi French

Report:
It was said that this would be one to watch and ask any spectator IT WAS!!!
It was a clear day with a light breeze perfect for a game. All players remembered at this game so can’t blame that. The game started with two concerns raised, the front row and the handling ability of the backs. Well these fears where well put to one side after the kick off. Southampton scrum ran through the wood peckers the whole halve with Amy King even winning a turn over or two. The line outs worked just as well with Lucy Shipley Bennett lifted and stealing several balls. The backs settled down as they constantly ship the ball out wide with success. Although this made the forwards work hard, it led to the positioning that allowed the forwards to put pressure on at the try line with Michelle Dilley going over to score. The pressure fell to the same player to convert from a wide position, unfortunately it was a turf kick and it was not meant to be.
Then OH DEAR concentration lapse from saints they just didn’t seem to realise there was still a game to play two miss tackles later and saints are back behind. Then Southampton came back into life they were putting good pressure with the game going from end to end. Then woodpeckers worked a simple but effective 1st phase play that saw it go wide for another try.
Second half: This is where Southampton put their game face on. Very few turn overs given away but many gained. The pack must have had a word with their backs because they were playing shorter making the forwards run less this led to some very effective play with 20+ phases at one point with a special note on the effort of Emily Sutcliffe. Saints had the territory, this constant pressure led to saints second try from Lucy and a conversion from Kiyomi French. Then another lapse in concentration led to a penalty with wood peckers kicking. The kick didn’t reach touch but saint had switched off and woodpeckers picked it up. If it wasn’t for a crunching covering tackle it would have been a try this lapse continued and led to the final try of the game in the dying moments.
All in all saints deserved to win on work rate alone, add that to their fundamental rugby ability’s and the game should have been theirs. However it was defensive errors, lack of concentration, poor decisions and lack of creativity that let them down. Things were predictable and easily to defend. To conclude Saint have proven that their base is there they just need some icing, fancy bits and concentration to get them that winning turn.

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