Donkey Lane hosted the latest round of Middlesex cluster games for girls on Sunday November 21, and the event was well supported with over 50 players from Enfield Ignatians, Old Grammarians, Ruislip and Harlequins Amateurs taking to the field for the various games in the different age groups.

The primary aim of these matches is to ensure game time for any teams that might be short of a full complement of players, which entails combining forces with other teams, writes Brian Davey.

U15s game: History in the making

This match was a historic moment for the club as it marked the first time that 15-a-side game for girls was played on the EIRFC first team pitch. We merged with Old Grammarians, and the team included two debutantes, Izabella Luahaj and Chloe Williams. Both acquitted themselves well in a game in which we faced the combined might of Ruislip and Harlequins Amateurs.

We were treated to a classical game of two halves, and IGS and OGS raced into an early lead after Elize Hussey (OGS) scored in the corner, and we soon added a second try via Selma Tivnann (IGS) whose pace proved vital when it came to breaching the defence.

However, our opponents came back strongly after securing more possession, but they were unable to translate this into points as the defence stood firm.

Consequently, the pendulum swung back our way with IGS’ Eliza Sibley (part of the Sibley rugby playing dynasty) blasting her way through for try number three, which added to the conversion provided by captain Emeka Dawkins, fired us into a 17-0 lead.

We clearly had the bit between our teeth, and OGS’ Poppy Langthorne underpinned a dominant first-half performance from the hosts after she collected try number four, which meant that were sitting fairly pretty at 22-0 up at the break.

However, the second-half was a different matter and Ruislip/Quins, with the advantage of the slope, claimed a couple of early tries, which seemed to dent our confidence, and despite having our fair share of possession, we ceased, for some reason, using the wide channels, and this played into the hands of the opposition, which used their big ball carriers to very good effect by adding a further three tries which secured a deserved 27-22 win.

Still, Igs and Old Gs are to be congratulated on a very spirited effort which bodes well for the future.

U13s’ game

This was a real barbarian game if ever there was one, as all four clubs combined to form two teams, and our only representative in this age group was Hazel O’Connell, who was making her club debut. Despite being the lone IGS’ representative, she made her presence felt with some great tackles and surging runs.

And the barbarian spirit was fully epitomised in the final try which went through the hands of the players from three different teams - on an occasion when the core values of rugby were very much on display. In fact, both games were played in great spirit, and the showcasing of some fantastic skills by the teams concerned, served to highlight why girls’ rugby is one of the fasting growing sports.