Christine Belisle’s stoppage-time try secured Loughborough Lightning a richly deserved bonus point against defending Premiership Women’s Rugby champions Gloucester-Hartpury at a rain-lashed Kingsholm Stadium.
The African Violets trailed by 12 points at the break as Rachel Ehrecke’s try was cancelled out by three scores from the hosts.
While Gloucester-Hartpury would add four more tries in the second period to put the result beyond doubt, Kathryn Treder, Alev Kelter and then Belisle all crossed the whitewash to secure a point which could be crucial in the side’s battle to reach the end-of-season play-offs.
FIRST HALF
Both sides flexed their muscles up front in the opening ten minutes, and registered a try each off the back of those foundations. First to strike was the hosts as they were met with initial resistance from the likes of Kelter and Bo Westcombe-Evans, but there was no stopping Nel Metcalfe as she ran in down the left wing untouched.
Back came Lightning, and with a bang. After earning a penalty from 25 metres out and then five metres from the line, the pack took control with a series of carries, and Lis Maude and Camela Morrall coordinated the attack to remain on the front foot. They were met by a wall of cherry and white, but remained patient as USA international Ehrecke burrowed over for her first Lightning try. Helen Nelson landed the tricky conversion to level the scores.
The hosts did what champions do best and responded swiftly to a setback with Metcalfe completing a first-half hat-trick as Gloucester-Hartpury’s scrum turned the screw, earning field position galore, and their left winger ran in the breeziest of trebles with three copy-and-paste finishes to reward her forwards’ endeavours.
Despite their scrum struggles, Lightning’s belief remained strong, and they went agonisingly close to a second try when Wescombe-Evans angled a run to the line, only to be stopped just short, then her side was penalised at the subsequent breakdown.
That near miss seemed destined to be compounded as Gloucester-Hartpury swarmed forward in the final minutes of the half, only to be denied by a piece of brilliant breakdown work from Ehrecke to earn a key penalty that saw Lightning’s deficit remain at 12 points entering the break.
SECOND HALF
Lightning introduced Isla Curphey at the break, and she immediately made an impact with ball in hand from the kick-off, combining brilliantly with Lilli Ives Campion to storm up centre field – only for scrambling defence to pounce and earn a penalty and relieve the pressure.
From there, Lightning were on the back foot as Gloucester-Hartpury kicked two penalties to touch and cashed in with two tries through Kelsey Jones and then Georgia Brock.
Heads did not drop in African Violet shirts as the hosts made a mess of the kick-off and from a five-metre line-out, Treder went over for her fourth try of the season, which Nelson converted expertly once more.
It wasn’t to stir a comeback as Lightning were punished for a few handling errors and further setpiece struggles as Gloucester-Hartpury set up camp in the 22 and Red Roses captain Zoe Stratford applied the finishing touch.
Entering the final ten minutes, Nathan Smith’s side gave themselves a fighting chance of salvaging a point from the game when Kelter somehow forced her way to the line – and while Pip Hendy replied soon after for Gloucester-Hartpury – Lightning fought into stoppage time as they anchored down a five-metre scrum and after multiple phases under the posts and in pouring rain, replacement prop Belisle couldn’t be stopped from close range to secure the try-scoring bonus point.
LINE-UPS
GLOUCESTER-HARTPURY: 15. Sing, 14. Venner, 13. Dallavalle, 12. Shekells, 11. Metcalfe, 10. George, 9 Hunt (cc); 1. O’Dowd, 2. Jones, 3. Muir, 4. Monaghan, 5. Beckett, 6. Else, 7. Brock, 8. Stratford (cc).
Replacements: 16. Simpson, 17. Samuda, 18. Tuipulotu, 19. Williams, 20. Copson, 21. Joens, 22. Goulden, 23. Hendy.
LIGHTNING: 15. Scott, 14. Mataitoga, 13. Kelter, 12. Morrall, 11. Westcombe-Evans, 10. Nelson, 9. Maude; 1. Young, 2. Treder, 3. Sagapolu, 4. Ives Campion, 5. Lutui, 6. Ehrecke, 7. Brody 8. Hibbert-Jones ©.
Replacements: 16. Stathopoulos 17. Curphey, 18. Belisle, 19. Boyd, 20. Acton, 21. Waudby, 22. Kelly, 23. Green.
Photographs by Maeve Blencowe and Dennis Dixon.