By Nia Jones
The North Ladies kicked off the new season by welcoming Pontyclun to Hailey Park For the first game of the season. With a new coaching structure and more than a few new faces this was a great opportunity to put in place the structures for the season.
The sun was out and the conditions were good for some running rugby. Both teams were eager to get the season underway with a win.
North kicked off with the boot of Becky Newton and Pontyclun attacked from the off. The game started with great pace with the forwards running hard & drawing in the defence. A string of penalty’s from the North girls meant that Pontyclun put the first points on the board 3-0 to the visiting side.
Both teams played with great intensity but the attacking momentum was with the visiting team as a well worked set piece released the winger who crossed the white wash 8-0 to the Falcons.
North were not discouraged, and continued to make a nuisance of themselves at the breakdown turning the ball back their way. As the north girls broke into the Pontycluin 22 for the first time some great interplay between the backs saw Becky Newton charge over the line getting the first points on the board for the North Girls. Newton added the extras with a superb Kick from the far touch line making the score 8- 7 to the visitors.
Pontyclun were aggressive from the restart, they looked to move the ball from one side of the pitch to the other and maximising the speed of their wingers capitalising with 2 more tries bringing the half time score to 27-7 to the visitors.
The second half started much the same as the first with both teams looking to hit hard and contest at the breakdowns. Several infringements from the falcons saw back row Cat Grundy see a yellow card and 10 minutes in the bin.
With a player down North capitalised and a superb break from Centre Meg O’Sullivan with great hands and support lines saw her cross the line to add to the north score. This time Newton could not add the extras 27-12 to the falcons.
Both teams showed good fight and determination with some great handling on show and fantastic aggression at the break down. The falcons crossed the Line 4 more times. With the score at 46-12 to the falcons, north went down to 14 players as an injury to North Prop Nia Jones saw her leave the field.
With less than 10 mins remaining both teams fought hard to the end and it was the falcons that had the last word with a try close to full time bringing the final score to 51-12 to the falcons.
Next Week North Ladies travel west to Swansea
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