Birkenhead ladies vs HULL LADIES

Birkenhead 87
Hull 0

First match of the season, and everyone was feeling nervous. It was the beginning of this year's campaign, after being promoted 2 leagues into the Championship North 2 division.

We headed over to Birkenhead Ladies in Liverpool, which many would say is a long way. However, this year we have the banter bus - which makes the journey so much more bearable!
We were full of nerves, not knowing what to expect or any idea of the standard of rugby we would be facing.

Despite it being the first game of the season, several key members of the squad were injured, which left our numbers depleted. Which leads me to saying a big thank you to all the supporters who came with us, and to the 2 ladies who played, having never picked up a ball before!

So, the whistle blows, and our season officially begins ….
And after 10 minutes played, we are 3 tries down and the stark reality of this league was beginning to set in. We had barely touched the ball, and eventually spent the majority of the match defending.

The forwards were performing admirably, putting up an awesome fight in the scrum, and making it to almost all the breakdowns around the park.
However, the handling and one-on-one tackling left a lot to be desired. Mistakes were rife, and when we did have possession, it wasn't long till errors were made, and Birkenhead had the ball back.  When they had the ball they looked unstoppable. The Birkenhead backs cut lines and broke tackles with effortless ease, which left you rooted to the spot. It was a backline to admire and be envious of. 

However, as the points racked up against us, our heads never went down. I think it says a lot about a club, to take a beating like we did, and stand there afterwards and say we gave our all.  The team spirit was unbreakable, and no-one stopped working. The effort and intensity was amazing!

I think it's fair to say we were completely out played, and that we have a steep learning curve to climb quickly if we are to survive in this league. However, we never turn away from a fight. Bring on training … onwards and upwards from here ladies!

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