For our international readers sunning themselves somewhere, the weather is cold but sunny and we are playing with the wind but against a side that we have never beaten before.

Emma (our wonderful coach who provides continuous advice during the game!) said that during the warm-up she felt that this was going to be a special game …… and so it was.

Rugby Lionesses kick off and Jaz Kaur catches the ball and we drive forwards, and forwards, and after the 6th phase of play we reset, Rachael Morgan haven taken the ball in and protected by Emma Williamson and Dan Ewins.

The ball is passed out to our “No 8 / part-time Centre” Charlie Smith who breaks through into open play where she gets stopped and passes back on the floor but we knock-on.

Rugby’s scrum and we tackle, and we tackle and we tackle etc etc etc and eventually we force a knock-on.
Our scrum and we go blind with speed, then keeping the ball for the next 6 phases of play, from one side of the pitch to the other, we win a penalty. At every tackle we either turn and pass or go down with the confidence of having our players coming over and protecting the ball for the next phase of play. Wonderful!!

That's the first 5 minutes of play and it summarised how we played for the rest of the game. We were brilliant and never gave up.
Unfortunately, Emma Peters has had to come off with a badly swollen and bruised ankle and we continue on with 14 players.
The Lionesses enter our half for the second time since kick-off and we tackle, and tackle, and tackle and win a scrum.
Emma Peters is back on (ouch!) strapped up, just about being able to get her boot back on —but acknowledging that tomorrow will be a difficult day for her!!

We go left, and then right and then out to Kayal who streaks past a player and eventually gets taken down after going for 30 metres.
Rugby Lionesses now have possession for the next 5 minutes but they don’t move us backwards.

Now we’re on the half-way line with Rugby in possession but we put in a huge tackle and Beth appears from behind the scrum and runs around the back of all our players to this side of the pitch and, with Kayal on her outside, she gives an outrageous dummy pass, and carries on to the 5m line where she is eventually tackled but she turns and pops up a pass to Lauren Miles who has Kate McNamee inside her to pass to and take it on and score under the posts. Converted by Beth (after she had got her breath back).

Silhillians Sirens 7—Rugby Lionesses 0 (after 25 minutes of hard play)

Rugby are back in our half from the kick-off but we kick it back into our rightful place - in their half of the pitch.
Our scrum, and we have a No 8 pick-up and out to Beth who has a little juggle but retains the ball and is tackled but gets the ball away to Lauren coming into the line who is immediately under pressure so pops it to Caitlin and she is thrown to the ground but Lauren is over to protect the ball, closely followed by Rachael Morgan and Emma Williamson and enables Beth to pick up and pass to Rosie Jones with Tal and Emma coming round in support – they all know the call as you can see Lauren racing round the back to link up again on the other side. Rosie is tackled and Tal pushes a player (twice her size) back and straight over the ball with Emma Peters in support. With the hard work done, Beth scoops up the ball to “I never miss one from here” Charlie Smith who nonchalantly takes off from their 22 and brushes aside a player on the way to score.

Silhillians Sirens 12—Rugby Lionesses 0

They restart, but kick it to “thank you very much” Charlie who scythes through their lined-up players - past one, past two, past three, past four players – now facing another four players – puts in a cheeky side step past one player, then passes to Emma Peters who takes the ball at her side (with both hands) with Kate, Lauren and Hannah lurking in support at her side and it takes two players to bring her down. Emma places the ball back whilst Sophie Martin clears out their player over the ball and Beth is able to pick it up and pass to Kate McNamee who moves inside, is tackled, and flung backwards but she pops it up to a waiting Beth who races across the pitch and chips ahead with the right side of her right foot to the posts where their player is about to pick the ball up but Beth swoops down and lands on the ball and scores the try ….. and the converts it.

Silhillians Sirens 19 – Rugby Lionesses 0

They win a penalty on the half-way line and kick it to Lauren Miles on our 22 who powers forwards, gets tackled and we then take it in turns to drive forwards and clear out and Dan Ewans powerfully clears out and 5 phases later we are inside their half. Beth puts the ball in and moves away from the scrum for a “No 8 pick-up” and this time “we’ve got space here” Charlie passes the ball (as she gets smothered) to Sophie Martin who flings it overhead to Kate McNamee who, when tackled, provides a back-handed pass to Hannah Cooke who also gets tackled but Sophie Martin and Caitlin Penn clear out and Beth passes to “Oh. Do I have to do it again?” Charlie Smith who has only two players to beat to score under the posts. Beth converts.

Silhillians Sirens 26 – Rugby Lionesses 0

This time, Rugby Lionesses have a longer than usual rest under the posts as they have a think about what is going on,
So, Rugby kick-off to “Why me?” Charlie Smith who takes off and returns the ball to the half-way line.

Half-time ……………………………………………………………

We kick-off but did not allow for the wind (now in our face) and the ball goes into touch 1 cm from the 10m line.

We’re off again. We fling it out to threes to see what they can do – first to one side of the pitch – then to the other side and we continue to recycle the ball in the middle with all 15 players being involved in one way or another, at every stage moving closer and closer to their try-line. Beth takes it from yet another clear-out and when tackled reaches round and passes to Kate McNamee who brushes off a tackle and then looks around and has time, as she powers towards the line, to think about how this try will be scored…… just walk over the line and put the ball down? ……. Oooh! How about a swooping swallow dive with one arm in the air for Ben to capture on the video (whilst remembering to hang on to the ball)? …….we’ll settle for the big smile and sliding over to put the ball safely down between the posts. Beth converts.

Silhillians Sirens 33 – Rugby Lionesses 0 after 10 minutes of the second half

For the next 10 minutes, we now have to defend continuous attacks from the Lionesses and win a penalty of the half-way line after Sophie Martin has a lie-down with cramp. Beth takes it quickly and passes to “quickly (bravely?) recovered” Sophie who meets a wall of players but we clear out to Charlie, who takes six of their players with her, to pass out to what would be another certain try – but a pass somewhere on the way was adjudged to be forwards.

And again, we have to defend until we take a quick penalty to Charlie who looks around, passes to Kate McNamee out to Caitlan Penn who steps inside past one player and two players have to take her down, we clear out and “Christmas has come early” Charlie Smith picks up the ball and with only four players to beat, powers over the line to score.
Talk about “don’t leave anything on the pitch” Beth Wyn Davies minimises her conversion effort by bouncing the ball off the crossbar.

Silhillians Sirens 40 – Rugby Lionesses 5

Eventually Rugby Lionesses get their consolation try and the final whistle is blown.

P.S. You can see that we “didn’t leave anything on the pitch” because we did not win (for once) any of the Players of the Match celebrations!

Opposition’s Player of the Match: Caitlin Penn
Forward of the Match: Tal Gallagher
Back of the Match: Kate McNamee

Observations:
• Coach Emma must be very proud of the whole team where we won most of the contests, protected the ball well and worked and worked and worked until the inevitable opportunities arose
• The whole team must be very proud of their performance – every one of you
• It was not an easy game and the Rugby Lionesses were a hard and physical team
• Touch Judge Clutz had a good run-out!
• Hasan had difficulty keeping up with our players with his hand on his video stick, when we steamed down the pitch!

Photos: https://www.silhillians.com/photos/silhillians-sirens-40--rugby-lionesses-5-1161650.html

Hasan’s summary video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSSvCrdjN8P/?igsh=eWlsemJwMnpxa3l2

Ben’s videos:
1 Kate McNamee 1st Try: https://www.silhillians.com/videos/sirens-v-rugby-lionesses-14122025-1-kate-mcnamee-1st-try-216206.html
2 Charlie Smith 1st Try: https://www.silhillians.com/videos/sirens-v-rugby-lionesses-14122025-2-charlie-smith-1st-try-216207.html
3 Beth Wyn Davies 1st Try: https://www.silhillians.com/videos/sirens-v-rugby-lionesses-14122025-3-beth-wyn-davies-1st-try-216208.html
4 Charlie Smith 2nd Try: https://www.silhillians.com/videos/sirens-v-rugby-lionesses-14122025-4-charlie-smith-2nd-try-216209.html
5 Kate McNamee 2nd Try: https://www.silhillians.com/videos/sirens-v-rugby-lionesses-14122025-5-kate-mcnamee-2nd-try-216210.html
6 Charlie Smith 3rd Try: https://www.silhillians.com/videos/sirens-v-rugby-lionesses-14122025-6-charlie-smith-3rd-try-216211.html