Fire Service Turns up the Heat

Under the Burnaby Road floodlights, Navy Rugby fought hard but fell 24-17 to the British Fire Service. Despite early BFS tries, Navy responded with power and resilience, closing the gap through Ellie Brightwell, Erin Hart, and Lucy Honeyball. Navy dominated the second half, but a late BFS try sealed their victory in a fiercely contested match.

Dusk at USSG and under a clear late winter’s evening Navy Rugby prepared to confront the British Fire Service (BFS). Following a glittering display two weeks before against Millbrook RFC, would the home side be able to once again burn brightly at Burnaby Road? As the skies darkened, Navy Rugby kicked off with a positive first contact with the visitors. But within moments BFS got the ball out to their impressive and very fast wing, who accelerated from their own 10m line down the touchline to score the first points of the match, which was converted, 0 - 7.

Navy Rugby restarted the game and the first line-out followed an BFS penalty, with the ball juggled high in the air by the BFS jumpers much to the entertainment of those watching on in the spectators’ stand. As the two sides grappled in the loose, evenly matched, BFS was able to get quick ball out to their backline. But the lying water on the pitch may have led to a slippery ball and mistimed passes. A BFS crash centre hit the impenetrable Navy Rugby wall and the first scrum was called by the referee. Sophie Tullock at scrumhalf passing out from the scrum to Navy Rugby’s back line and into the hands of Abi Ashby who darted forward and straight at the BFS back peddling defence. A Navy Rugby penalty and a quick tap and go initiated by Tullock enabled Number 8 Laika Swain to charge onwards, getting within a whisker of the visitor’s try-line.

Navy Rugby’s efforts and occupation of BFS’s 5m line were thwarted when the visitors kicked for touch. A series of scrums followed, resulting in possession and momentum returning to BFS. A BFS line-out was scuppered when Navy Rugby’s second row, Yvonne Mealy, jumped high and got fingertips on the tumbling ball mid-air. But as was a reoccurring event in the first half BFS were able to efficiently scoop up untidy ball on the floor. With twenty minutes gone the two sides were deadlocked on the half-way line. BFS continuing to spearhead the attack with their 12 and 13 attempting crash balls but only to be thwarted by a solid Navy Rugby defensive backline.

Against the darkening sky and in the glare of the Burnaby Road floodlights, Navy Rugby began to sparkle as they had done two weeks before. Tullock threw a pass out wide, and the ball leapt into the hands of fly-half and Captain, Rose Dixon, who whilst accelerating down the touchline successfully made an in-field kick across to test the BFS’s fullback. The visitors pulled back deep in their own 22 to try to stop the sudden onslaught of momentum prosecuted by their hosts. Navy Rugby was rewarded for their efforts with a penalty and chose to run with the ball. An all 15 display was then witnessed with the ball being thread through the hands of prop Kaitlin Bark to second-row Talia Haywood and onto Tulloch linking with Swain and then back to Bark before going to ground. Amongst the splashing puddles Navy Rugby’s pack demonstrated a well-drilled performance, linking with the backs as Talia Haywood passed out to Abi Ashby.

Another Navy Rugby tap-and-go penalty following an BFS red-card for a high tackle resulted in backrow, Ellie Brightwell going over the line to score the home-side’s first try which was converted by Moira Douglass, 7 – 7.

The levelling of the score appeared to incense the visitors, who soon after the restart won a scrum on their opponents’ 10m line and then pushed on into the 22. A momentary pause for a Navy Rugby injury and BFS resumed the pressure, winning a scrum which set up their second try in the corner (not converted), 7 – 12.

And the pressure continued once more, once Navy Rugby had kicked from the centre spot BFS were swift in passing the ball to their super speedy wing who in a blur scored another try which was converted, 7 – 19.

The remaining time left on the clock in the first half saw Navy Rugby attempt to regain the upper-hand: notable was Navy Rugby full-back Jo Banks who took a high ball and darted back into the visitors’ half. And following Dixon kicking to touch and the line-out Navy Rugby were seen to ship the ball with impressive cool precision through the hands of Brightwell, Tulloch, Dixon, Douglass and back to Dixon. Navy Rugby had a big scrum, winning the ball against the head with a big shove that delighted the cheering home crowd. The half concluded with Navy Rugby camped out in the opponent’s territory but, despite the valiant efforts, unable to convert pressure into points.

The second half commenced with BFS kicking long and Navy Rugby absorbing the pressure in their own half. Elona Blythell at hooker threw in for Navy Rugby at the first line-out and Swain made an impressive run beyond the game line. A penalty followed and taken quickly by Blythell again linking with Swain. The ball passed to Erin Hart who nimbly stepped to score the first try of the second half (not converted), 12 – 19.

BFS got the game underway once more and Navy Rugby’s Lucy Honeyball made important ground with ball in hand. The momentum swung to the home-side as the visitors looked to be tiring. Flo Mullet appeared to be heading to score as she sprinted down the wing towards BFS’s tryline only to be pushed into touch. Soon after the line-out the scrummage duel resumed and the Navy Rugby pack had the better of their opponents, grinding the visitors back over the ball. Josie Parnaby on at scrumhalf orchestrated the set piece play.

Into the last 20 minutes and BFS kicked to touch from a penalty bringing the game back to the halfway line. Navy Rugby took possession of the ball and turned up the pressure on the visitors resulting in Jess Bryan going over the tryline but being held up by BFS. Once BFS had kicked from their tryline and the ball had been returned to Navy Rugby the pressure on the visitors resumed. Lucy Honeyball running straight, was unstoppable and scored the second try and final try of the half (not converted), 17 -19.

A tight game, with Navy Rugby firmly on top in the second half but frustrated, they continued to seek ways to break through their opponent’s defence to convert possession and pressure into points. However, the rugby gods were with BFS who should be congratulated for maintaining their resolute defence in holding on to their lead.

The final moments were marked by a spirited attempted dummy pass by Navy Rugby’s Swain and an unsuccessful BFS penalty kick for three points. Following Navy Rugby’s last scrum, BFS made their way over the tryline to score a final but unconverted try, 17 – 24.

Senior Women: A Baker, F Moore, K Bark; Y Mealy, T Haywood; E Brightwell, E Thorpe, L Swain; S Tulloch, R Dixon (C), M Parsons, M Douglass, A Ashby, F Mullett, J Banks.

Replacements: E Bythell, L Honeybell, J Bryan, R Addis, R Tuvou, J Shaw, C Goodwin, J Parnaby, E Hart, M Ellis, B Wilcox, J Abel, H Parkinson, R Staples.

Words by J Wheale

Images by K Woodland