Sun 12 Feb 2023
After last week's cup exit Launceston Ladies returned to league action in
emphatic style with a resounding 0-68 victory away to bottom of the table
Withycombe.
With the stinging encounter against Dings, both physically and mentally still
raw, the Ladies had an immediate chance to right what went wrong and they
came out to prove a point. 6 tries in the opening 12 minutes put this game and
the demons to bed.
Right from the kick off Launceston gathered the ball and flooded up the pitch
through their hard runners finding gaps and slipping tackles. Within 2 minutes
the Cabettes worked the ball out to Holly Williams to run down the right wing
and score the first try of the game. Conversion missed.
The restart became groundhog day as Launceston seemed to receive the kick
and go right back to score. With Launceston keeping the ball alive through
offloads and quick rucks, the scores came thick and fast. Vicki Doidge
seemingly involved in the majority, firstly scoring down the left, then making a
barreling run before the ball was thrown to Charlotte Crocker to wriggle over
for a converted try. She then broke down the left again feeding Mia Wray for
her score. Conversion made again by Holly Williams
The quickest try of the lot came from Holly as she caught the kick off and
sprinted the 60 metres directly to the tryline. Joey dutifully knocked over the
conversion.
Launceston were finding the greatest gain right next to the rucks as they
picked and went through the gaps left by the Withycombe forwards. Vicki
grabbed her second by darting through one such gap. Conversion missed.
Withycombe finally managed to get hold of the ball and began to mount some
attacks of their own. They forced Launceston back into their own 22 but the
Cabettes were quick at the breakdowns and turned the ball over. As soon as
they had they quick marched up the pitch once again to unleash Charlotte for
her second. Conversion missed.
The Withycombe attack though seemed to spark their defence into life and
began to slow the Launceston scoring machine. The Cabettes runners met
harder and harder Withycombe defenders, stopping them in their tracks. It
took some sly work around the breakdown by Amy ‘Podge’ Warman to snipe
her way over the whitewash. Conversion missed.
With the halftime whistle beckoning, there was time for one last surge up the
field. Briony Eddy finding herself in some open field must have thought she
was in for a score but for a thunderous tackle from her blindside by the Withy
full back leaving her needing a minute to regather herself, a lovely welcome
back to rugby! From the resulting scrum, Launceston were able to turn it over
and unleash Vicki Diodge to scamper over for her hattrick. Conversion missed.
HT: 0-51
Launceston rang the changes in the second half, with tired and bruised bodies
still from last week’s encounter, they were all needed. With these changes and
Withy upping their physicality again, it made for a much more even half. The
Cabettes struggled to gain the dominance they once had but some lovely
handling saw Joey find the space to scurry over for her first score. Conversion
missed.
The battle in the middle became a stalemate, with both teams nicking the ball
at the rucks and not giving an inch in defence. It took Launceston to go phase
after phase and throw the ball round, showcasing their brilliant handling before
finally offloading to Holly for her second, which she also converted.
Straight from kick off though, Withy caught with their first half heads on and let
Joey catch and run straight through to her second score. This time the
conversion was missed.
A momentary blip as Withy came back at Launceston hard, and with the
Cabettes tired bodies breaking 1 by 1, Withycombe saw this as their chance to
nick a score. They camped in the Launceston half for the later stages of the
game, searching for a score and even a few Launceston supporters quietly
gutted for them when the referee deemed the ball was held up over the line.
But Launceston defence stayed unbreached once again in the league and
saw out the final whistle.
FT: 0-68
The scoreline not doing Withycombe the justice they deserved as for 60
minutes they caused Launceston some real issues, making the ladies pull out
some top draw rugby in order to score and to hold them to just 3 tries in the
second half was a massive defensive effort requiring real heart.
Next week's fixture is derby day as Launceston welcome Bude to Polson
Bridge on a rearranged fixture.
Forward of the Match: Briony Eddy
Back of the Match: Holly Williams
Report by: Dan Pearce
