Blues Ladies bag a bonus point win

PHOTOS:

The winning Haverfordwest Ladies' team

Player of the match - Delyth Foster

Pictures by Brian Sandow

WRU Ladies’ Division One

Haverfordwest Ladies 47 - Pencoed Phoenix 22

Haverfordwest Ladies bounced back from two successive defeats to secure a bonus point win over Pencoed on Sunday.

The game began with a minute’s applause for Luke Harding, who passed away earlier this month and who was a loyal supporter and friend of the ladies.

Blues start well via Awen

Wales’ Women Six Nations squad member Awen Prysor opened the scoring for Haverfordwest in the first minute, side-stepping her way past defenders to run in a try from inside her own half before Holly Couzens, who had an excellent afternoon with the boot, added the conversion.

Pencoed responded well when their scrum overpowered the Haverfordwest pack for Ami Stevens to touch down for an unconverted try before Leanne Burnell slotted a penalty for the visitors soon after to take the lead.

Foster fires up the home side

But it proved short-lived when flanker, and subsequent man of the match, Delyth Foster, exploited a gap in the Pencoed defence to go under the posts. Couzens was again on target with the extras.

Haverfordwest added two more tries, with Nina Colville combining well with Natalie Walsh in the centre before powering over for a converted try, and full back Emma Summons crossing over in the corner.

Pencoed’s powerful runner Natalie O’Shey touched down for a converted try to make it 26-15 at the break.

More tries despite struggling in the scrums

Haverfordwest appeared to up a gear in the second half and defended well, despite being overpowered in the scrum.

Colville, Prysor and Foster all touched down for their second of the afternoon, all converted by Couzens, while O’Shey kept the visitors in touch with a try converted by Burnell.

But it was the home side that comfortably prevailed with an excellent all-round display and a determination to put limited set-piece ball to good use, which will have pleased coaches Gareth Charles and Chris Beggan.

Haverfordwest: Katy Lewis, Hayley Thomas, Louisa Weinfeld, Chloe Smith, Ceri Coleman-Phillips, Delyth Foster, Emily Carrington, Awen Prysor (c), Rhian Swift, Holly Couzens, Nina Colville, Natalie Walsh, Hayley McCarney, Emma Summons.