By George Wellbelove
Sale Sharks Women were able to record a clinical win against an inexperienced Leicester Tigers Women’s side with 12 debutants, as they ran in six tries to win 14-34 in the second round of the PWR Up Series.
The visitors made up for their defeat last week in a showing that was filled with dominance and flair. The first half got off to a physical and frantic start, with huge hits flying in from both teams. Leicester Tigers were afforded some space down the left wing where debutant Elin Beaver was able to show off her pace.
The first score was recorded by the home side with fly-half Natasha Jones crashing over from short range. Katie Childs added the extras to send Tigers into an early lead. Leicester’s lead would not last long though as Sale responded five minutes later. After a succession of penalties conceded by Tigers in their own 22, Sale’s Lizzie Duffy delivered an inch-perfect pass to Hollie Bawden, who calmly strolled into the corner.
Duffy was unable to bring the score level with her conversion attempt but it was already shaping up to be an exciting encounter between the two sides. Sale would then take control of the game with an immense driving maul. Hooker Niamh Swailes
recorded her first try of the game to put Sale in the lead.
Two quickfire tries for the visitors, with Bawden and Swailes both notching their second tries of the match. This made the score 7-22 to Sale at halftime. Leicester Tigers needed to score next to bring themselves back into the game and they could
not have hoped for a better start to the second half. After a period of sustained pressure through pick and go’s, Charlotte Fray stretched out of a tackle to score.
Emma Mundy converted well from the touch line to However, Sale would quickly silence the Welford Road supporters as Duffy broke through a tackle to dot down only minutes after. The visitors quickly scored again with an end-to-end effort. Bawden fended off two Tigers defenders, resulting in Vicky Irwin scoring.
The rest of the second half was largely uneventful. Tigers were able to hold out Sale and create a few chances of their own. A couple of ferocious carries from Keia Mae Sagapolu Sanele gave Tigers a platform but they were unable to capitalise.
Given that 12 players out of the 23 matchday squad were debutants, Tigers did well to suppress Sale’s dominance in the second half and the game came to a slightly underwhelming conclusion as the high tempo affair slowly petered out.
LEICESTER TIGERS: 14
Tries: 2 (Jones 7, Fray 43)
Penalties: 0
Conversions: 2 (Childs 7, Mundy 44)
STARTING XV: 15 Amanda Schwartz, 14 Amelia Tutt, 13 Emily Henrich, 12 Katie Childs, 11 Elin Beaver, 10 Natasha Jones, 9 Amy Relf; 1 Ellie Smith, 2 Alana Bainbridge, 3 Keia Mae Sagapolu Sanele, 4 Eeva Pohjanheimo, 5 Charlotte Fray, 6 Jordan Russell, 7 Morgan Richardson, 8 Roisin McBrien (c)
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Nikki Simpson, 17 Zainab Alema, 18 Jade Jones, 19 Leah Heath, 20 Tiana Gordon, 21 Jenny Maxwell, 22 Evie Wills, 23 Emma Mundy
SALE SHARKS: 34
Tries: 6 (Bawden 12, 38, Swailes 30,39, Duffy 48, Irwin 50)
Penalties: 0
Conversions: 2 (Duffy 39,48)
STARTING XV: 15 Nikita Prothero, 14 Sophie Hopkins, 13 Vicky Irwin, 12 Laura Perrin, 11 Hollie Bawden, 10 Lizzie Duffy (cc), 9 Ella Acton; 1 Sophie Lewis, 2 Niamh Swailes, 3 Detysha Harper (cc), 4 Erica Jarrell, 5 Nina Moore, 6 Trudy Cowan, 7 Kay Searcy, 8 Jo Brown
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Amelia Hyndman, 17 Amber Schonert, 18 Jess Panayiotou, 19 Iona Antwis, 20 Polly Bowman, 21 Marion Ridgway, 22 Willow Bell, 23 Isobel McGuire-Evans