Match Report | Sheffield Eagles Women Gold 16-20 Wigan St Judes
16/07/2024
By Barry Wood
The Sheffield Eagles Women Gold team sitting bottom of League 2 played this fixture at home against unbeaten top of the table Wigan St. Judes (WSJ) at the Hallam Sports Park. Obviously there must have been some trepidation as to what the outcome would be given the Gold team’s experiences against the other two reams in the top three, but one need not have worried.
The first fourteen minutes went set for set with loose forward Clark making regular inroads into the WSJ defence. Eventually a WSJ attack on the Eagles left edge petered out when an offload that went forward to ground was picked up quickly and moved back to the middle of the field, 10m out from the posts for the zero tackle, granting the Eagles a seven tackle set 7m from their own line. Three tackles moved the ball up to 27m out and then Steel struck with some sublime play: firstly a left-right-left step combination that zig-zagged through a small gap followed by a left fend; then with a defender dragging on the back of the shirt Steel made a perfect two handed pass on half way out to left centre Holocuk, who commendably had kept up with play. Holocuk then accelerated away around the remaining defenders to go 50m and touch down in the 15th minute 11m to the left of the posts. Clark converted for 6-0.
Unfortunately the lead did not last long. Another WSJ kick chase attack on the Eagles left edge bore fruit, this time when a last tackle chip kick was fumbled then handled by an offside player, giving WSJ a penalty 10m out. The ball was worked to the centre of the field and three plays were defended out close to the line. However on the fourth play WSJ loose forward Leppert forced a way over to the left of the posts in the 22nd minute, then kicked the conversion to level the score at 6-6.
Five minutes later and WSJ made another last tackle chip kick chase against the Eagles left edge. And again the kick wasn’t fielded safely giving WSJ another six tackle set close in. Four of the plays were defended but the last one had drawn in several defenders together. The recovery to the try line to face up wasn’t quick enough, and WSJ second rower Hammond turned up at dummy half to scoot around the ruck and go over in the 30th minute 8m to the right of the posts. Lloyd converted for 6-12.
Four minutes later and WSJ tried to repeat the chip kick chase medicine only this time it backfired. The ball was caught on the full 24m out from the Eagles line by left centre Holocuk. The chase line wasn’t evenly spread leaving a gap that Holocuk swerved through shrugging off despairing grabs, going on to race 76m in total to the posts in the 36th minute. Unwisely as it turned out, Holocuk elected to take the conversion. Score still 10-12, with stalemate ensuing for the remainder of the half.
Half-time: Sheffield Eagles Women Gold 10 – 12 Wigan St. Judes
An early WSJ attack was helped along with a penalty for high contact on the Eagles left edge at the 30m line. Missed tackles let the first drive gain another 20m. Two plays later WSJ scrum-half Webb went right and down the short side to cross where there was only the winger on the edge and no-one else defending that side of the ruck. A try 5m in from the flag in the 42nd minute, conversion missed. Score 10-16.
Minutes later an Eagles attack fell apart with a knock-on, but then WSJ returned the favour with a knock-on at the first tackle from the scrum, enabling the Eagles to set up shop 15m out from the WSJ line. Two plays brought the ball back to the middle, from where loose forward Clark forced a way through from 8m out to go over by the right side of the posts in the 47th minute. Clark also converted to level the scores at 16-16.
That did not last long. A short WSJ kick off to the left just cleared the 10m required, and WSJ swooped on the ball 35m out from the Eagles line. A long break by Grace-Holding (on loan from Leigh Leopards Ladies) took the ball to 15m out in front of the posts. A penalty for offside gave WSJ another set of six which they did not waste. One drive came within 2m. On the next play the dummy half went right, found the route blocked and went back left, offloading to prop Wright who overpowered the defence to score 10m to the left of the posts in the 51st minute. Conversion unsuccessful, score 16-20.
Would the floodgates now open? Far from it. The next 16 minutes saw the sides trade sets and errors with WSJ having the better territorial advantage, but the Eagles defence resolutely kept them out. And then the Eagles got a leg up into the WSJ half with a penalty for offside. Three plays did not make much progress, but the fourth play starting 44m out centre-field moved the ball right into the hands of Holocuk, one assumes now playing at right side second row. With a burst of acceleration, Holocuk rounded the WSJ left winger and took off down the 10m channel by the right touchline, engaging the fullback 4m out. Unfortunately the offload pass under pressure was angled a little bit too far backwards, and the ball fell behind supporting winger Smith. By the time the ball was retrieved, the defence had recovered enough to tackle the retriever and the chance was lost to at least level the scores.
For the remainder of the match, the Eagles had the better of the territorial advantage, with sometimes errors but mostly good defence preventing them from manufacturing another try, and equally so in the other direction, resulting in no further score.
Full-time: Sheffield Eagles Women Gold 16 – 20 Wigan St. Judes
Eagles Tries: Holocuk(2), Clark
Goals: Clark (2/2), Holocuk(0/1)
Wigan SJ Tries: Leppert , Hammond, Webb, Wright
Goals: Leppert (1/1), Lloyd(1/2), Horrocks(0/1)
In conclusion a hard fought game with the Eagles demonstrating a growing self-belief and improvement in performance, but just missing out on at least a draw.
The coaches’ award went to Leah Steel in recognition of yet another Steel by name steel by nature performance. The captain’s choice went to winger Harriet Smith for great edge work in defence and attack throughout.
