Gary Heatly reports on the Women’s XV and their Tennent’s Premiership final win over Hillhead/Jordanhill 36-26...
Watsonians won the Women’s Tennent’s Premiership title on Sunday by defeating Hillhead/Jordanhill in a superb final at Myreside.
The two sides were the best two in the 10-game regular season and, having made it to this stage, it was always going to be a cracking encounter.
And so it proved with both sides going at each other from the kick-off.
Watsonians, who had beaten Hills twice during the regular season, edged into a 17-12 lead at the interval and when they scored two more tries after the break to stretch that advantage to 29-12 the trophy looked like it would be theirs.
However, this Hills side are made of stern stuff and are led by the likes of current Scotland back-row Louise McMillan and ex-international front-rower Heather Lockhart.
They came back into things at 29-26 thanks to two converted tries before a final score from Watsonians saw them home 36-26.
“I am so proud of the team because they really had to dig in to win this game against very good Hills side,” Watsonians head coach Freddie Main said.
“They defended well at times against the wide game that we like to play and that meant that we had to change our tactics a bit and the team adapted to that well.
“Some indiscipline let Hills back into the game in the second half, but at that point the team really showed the character that they have and what they are all about.
“They didn’t panic, regrouped well and then put the seal on the win which was just amazing.
“There are some very good individual players in this group, but this was not a win built on individuals, but one built on a team spirit and a desire to help each other and get better collectively every time they take to the pitch.”
Watsonians try scorers were Panashe Muzambe, Charlotte Runcie, Hannah Smith, Anna Forsyth, skipper Rachel Bragg and Emma Evans while Nicola Nightingale kicked three conversions.
Lockhart, fellow Scotland cap Sophie Anderson, Debbie Lee and Aimee Johnson scored the tries for Hills while Anderson kicked one conversion and Mairi McDonald two.
Meanwhile, Ayr will be staying in the top flight for 2020 after they defeated Heriot’s in a play-off at Oriam 41-12.
Words by Gary Heatly
Images by Rugby People
