With the sun finally putting in a welcome appearance at Mallorie Park on Sunday, The Ripon Bluebelles were more than ready to take on Sandal Warriors in their first match against each other this season. The recent weather having made it difficult to train over the last few weeks, a run out was long over due.
From the kick off both teams were testing each other out around the breakdown areas, with a few fumbles from both sides before the game started to settle down. Ripon soon started to gain an advantage pushing Sandal back into their own 22 forcing them to try to clear the lines with a kick which landed straight into Kelly Cunninghams arms who ran it back, scoring the first try of the game, converted by Claire Taylor.
From the kick Sandal kept Ripon pinned in their own half, with Ripon not helping themselves by giving away too many penalties. From a loose ball in her own half, Charlotte Thompson picked it up and ran through Sandals defence, after a 50 metre run scoring underneath the posts, allowing for an easy conversion.
From the restart, both sides fighting for possession, Ripon once again coming out on top and from a breakdown close to Sandals line a quick ball through a couple of pairs of hands to Hayley Williams to again cross the line with a put down close to the posts, followed by another successful conversion, taking Ripon into half time with the score at 21-0.
Second half started with Sandal making ground with some good hard runs from open play, but the ever present Dot Frankland and Caryl-Ann Davies stopping them in their tracks with their usual effective low tackling. This allowed Emily Santry to steal numerous balls from the ruck, passing out to Siobhan Turner who made inroads into Sandals defence leading to a quick ball from the break down to Claire Taylor who after an effective dummy, ran it in from just outside the 22 to score directly under the posts and converted her own try.
Sandal again, picked themselves up and made inroads into Ripons 22 but unfortunately the move breaking down, from a clearing kick the ball was scooped up on the half way line by Becky Naylor who once again touched down beneath the posts, converted to 35-0.
Ripon, gaining confidence, starting to throw the ball around more resulting in Nikki Gill hitting the defensive line at pace, breaking through to score Ripons next try. 42-0.
Ripon continued to improve their handling, with quick passes between the forwards. After a few phases Emily Santry crossed the line to end a good team try, once again converted by Claire to take the score to 49-0.
With the game coming to a close, Ripon were once again on top in the ruck and maul in Sandals 22 resulting in the pack working together to go over the line to see Liz Clark score the final try of the game.
The final result was 54-0 to the Bluebelles, a massive team effort paying off well. The player of the match went to CLaire Taylor following her try and 7 conversions from 8.