Match Report: Gloucester-Hartpury 19 – 17 Loughborough Lightning

Loughborough Lightning got off to a strong start under new head coach Nathan Smith in a valiant performance against last year’s league champions Gloucester-Hartpury, but ultimately came up just short.

Vice-captain Georgina Tasker’s try accounted for Lightning’s only points of the first half as Mia Venner crossed twice for the hosts at the ALPAS Arena.

Second-half scores from Ellen Scantlebury and Maja Meuller gave Lightning the lead heading into the last 20 minutes, but a disallowed try was compounded by a breakaway score from Gloucester-Hartpury’s Emma Sing to deny Loughborough an Allianz Cup win on the road.

FIRST HALF

Gloucester-Hartpury flew out the blocks applying immediate pressure on Lightning from the kick off. From a five-metre scrum they tested the Loughborough defence and eventually got the ball wide for Venner fo finish in the corner.

Lightning were straight back into it with a period of sustained pressure in the attacking 22. However, Gloucester-Hartpury were able to exit.

With the ball in the middle third, Lightning’s attack looked dangerous with strong carries from the pack, none more so than Grace Clifford returning from England camp. She made a break from halfway, handing off defenders on multiple occasions before eventually offloading for Tasker to go over and level the scores early.

The rest of the first half was dominated in both possession and territory by the hosts, putting together multiple phases in the Lightning half and putting them under significant defensive pressure.

It was a broken-field counter-attack that eventually broke through the Lightning defence. Following a trademark long clearance from Lia Green, the Gloucester-Hartpury back field combined well to allow Venter to run it in for her second try of the game.

The rest of the first half continued in much the same manner with Lightning’s defence keeping them in the game and ensuring they went into the half-time break only seven points down.

SECOND HALF

Whatever was said by Lightning’s new coaching set-up must have worked as the second half was somewhat of a role reversal with Lightning having much of the pressure and territory, coming out of the sheds firing and on the front foot.

The pressure eventually led to a try for Scantlebury with some slick hands able to put her away to dot down in the corner. With the conversion unsuccessful Lightning were back to within two points of pulling level.

Gloucester-Hartpury responded to this with some pressure of their own but Lightning’s strong defence held firm, able to clear their lines and regain some valuable territory.

They were eventually able to turn this territory into points following ill-discipline from the Gloucester-Hartpury forward pack putting them to within five meters of the line. After a strong maul was dragged down, Meuller was eventually able to dive over with the extras coming from the boot of Green to give Lightning a five-point lead.

Lightning continued to put the pressure on and thought they had extended their lead through Tasker once again. However, the try was somewhat harshly ruled out for a double movement, allowing the Cherry and Whites to clear their lines.

The game was still dominated by Lightning with more and more pressure coming onto the hosts. However, with less than ten minutes to go, Lightning appeared to be sure to score again before Sing made an intercept and ran almost the full length to dot down under the posts. With the extras from Charlie-Mai Manns, Gloucester-Hartpury went into the lead.

Despite some more promising attacks from the girls in African Violet, they didn’t quite have enough to get another score and snatch victory on the road as the focus now turns to Saturday’s double-header at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, with Saracens the visitors in the Allianz Cup.

LINE-UPS

GLOUCESTER-HARTPURY: 15 Venner, 14 Underwood, 13 Lund (c), 12 Tandy, 11 Hendy, 10 Manns, 9 Blackburn; 1 Samuda, 2 Dale, 3 Delgado, 4 Cowan, 5 Shermer, 6 Whitley, 7 Russell, 8 Else
Replacements: 16 Roach, 17 Page, 18 Gilbert,  19 McQueen, 20 Kibble, 21 Brebner-Holden, 22 Hyett, 23 Sin

LIGHTNING: 15 Linn, 14 Scantlebury, 13 Tasker (vc), 12 Morrall, 11 Westcombe-Evans, 10 Green, 9 J Weaver; 1 Baverstock, 2 Waudby, 3 Clifford, 4 Boyd, 5 Ives Campion, 6 Meuller, 7 S Williams (c), 8 Hibbert-Jones
Replacements: 16 Andrews, 17 Trevarthen, 18 Curphey, 19 Winter, 20 Roberts, 21 Davey, 22 Baker, 23 Hard