York women's rugby destroy Oxford in BUSA knockout

The team huddle in preparation for the task ahead

After a long and hard fought succession of matches, York Women’s Rugby 1sts won their league, having had an extremely successful season. But the pressure is now on more than ever and the team move into the BUSA knockouts for the shield, to compete against league winners and first runners up from all over the country.

Written by Chrissie Leahy

The first match of the knockout stage paired York against Oxford, and the team prepared themselves for their hardest game yet, and the possibility that they may not advance any further in the competition, but minutes into the game York’s worrying became minimal, as the York squad proved themselves, undoubtedly, superior.

By the five minute mark, the York backs had out foxed their opposition several times, and had Oxford pinned to their own try line, and the first try came particularly easily. After a speedy breakaway from Ruth Laybourn, the more powerful York forwards relentlessly attacked their defence until captain Kath Stokes, leaped across the try line talking the ball with her.

Over the next fifteen minutes, York’s dominance was clear. The York forwards had a clearly more powerful scrum, in the face of which Oxford were barely able to maintain their ground. Similarly, in the face of a less than perfect Oxford defence, the York backs began implementing some of their more impressive and complicated formations, creating space for two more breakaway tries, both scored and converted by Laybourn.

At this point one of Oxford’s front rows was injured and forced to leave the game, leaving them with an inadequate number of players. Just twenty minutes into the game, Oxford conceded the match, but agreed to play on so that both teams could enjoy the rest of the much-anticipated game. To even up the sides, York lent Oxford one of their more experienced forwards, Beth Robertson, who according to the York front row, significantly strengthened Oxford’s scrums.

However, it was still not enough for Oxford who took a steady but inevitable defeat. The only threat particularly posed to York, was the several penalties given to Oxford. Despite numerous attempts to check and double check the players were behind the back foot of a breakdown, so the referee continued to call the increasingly confused York players offside, until an “ask ref first, move later” policy was introduced, with the players staying metres back from the back foot just to be safe.

Thankfully the Oxford attack posed little threat, despite a preference for continuous looping from the Oxford backs, good communication between York’s defensive line ensured effective tackling. In many cases, quick movement up to the attackers ensured poor Oxford handling and several dropped balls, which made the possession easy to regain. The York forwards, not to be outdone by the backs for point scoring, continued to smash into the Oxford defence, with Jenny Harvey scoring a try despite the obstacle of a broken rib.

After trooper, Emma Hodgson had her critically injured hand, smashed by a defender when diving onto the ball, she sat out the last few sections of play. This called for a re-shuffle of the back line, placing fullback, Kath Stokes as scrum half, and speedy winger Emma Cooper as fullback.

With the forwards secure in their dominance in every aspect of the game, the backs used the remaining time to practice their favourite calls, which made several impressive breakthroughs, three times resulting in breakaway tries. Two of these were swiftly handled, scored and subsequently converted by Laybourn. The second of which, involved Laybourn, obviously bored of the game of rugby, deciding to try football for a spin; having caught the ball straight from the kick off, she kicked and chased the ball three times before picking it up and placing it underneath the posts as the Oxford defence raced towards her all too late.

York consistently out-jumped, out-foxed and out-played their opponents

The third of these backs tries came from acting fullback, Cooper, as the backs enacted one of their favourite and newest plays, as inside and outside centres Jiff Higman and Laybourn, pulled the defence in opposite directions from the breakdown leaving a gap through which Cooper stormed, shaking off any opposition to the try line.

Ice Asare scored the last try of the match, after a continuous and concerted effort by the forwards. Vice-captain Rachel Clarke was tackled centimetres away from the try line, the York pack rucked over with enormous efficiency, as Asare lifted the ball from the back and powered the opposition over the try line.

After two more almost successful plays, the game was cut short on request. Having won convincingly and played well as a team the York players were happy to let Oxford off with the remaining time, and with this win advance to the quarter finals of the cup.

Next Wednesday sees York, pitched against MMU Cheshire away, in the quarterfinals of the BUSA cup. Having just beat Cumbria 67-0, MMU look like sturdy competition, but with a continuing high standard of training and commitment there is no reason why York couldn’t go all the way to the victory.

1.Kirsty Wheeler, 2.Rachel Clarke, 3.Chelsey Sprong, 4.Jenny Harvey, 5.Karen Barber, 6.Louise Blockwell, 7.Sarah McLoughlin, 8.Ice Asare, 9.Emma Hodgson, 10.Chrissie Leahy, 11.Emma Cooper, 12.Jiff Higman, 13.Ruth Laybourn, 14.Rachel De Quidt, 15.Kath Stokes, Subs: Katie Croft, Beth Robertson, Kate Mulchay

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