Broncos Ladies overcome a tough test in their final regular season game

*Photo by James Glassup

For the first time in their history, the London Broncos Ladies played at the home of the men’s team, in what was a double-header of matches. The Ladies were successful in their final preparation for the play-offs, beating bottom team Bedford Tigers by 42-30.

This the inaugural campaign of the Betfred Women’s Super League South, six sides are competing across two groups, playing one another home and away, to qualify for those play-off spots. Four will advance to the semis, with the two winners of those respective games on August 14 progressing through to the final on August 29.

Broncos started their season with a hard-fought 20-12 victory over Army RL at the Aldershot Military Stadium, before travelling to Bedford and securing a 24-16 win, putting them in prime position for the play-offs. Despite a blip coming in the form of a 32-18 home loss to Army RL, a victory by a big scoreline could secure top spot.

For the Bedford Tigers, it was very much a case of playing for pride, but their incentive was undoubtedly to not finish the season winless.

Lineups:

London Broncos Ladies: Caitlin Clifton, Abigayle Gordon, Kirsty-Lee Griffith,  Rosie Cairns, Shauna Mann, Courtney Treco, Kathryn Salter, Jamie Blazejewski, Jessica Ingram, Kinesha Selby, Emelie Hellgren, Faye Hamp, Emily Hughes 

Interchanges: Iona MCCusker, Siobhan Longdon-Hughes, Ruth Mottershead, Sophie Messem, Angharad McCormack 

Head Coach: Colin Baker 

Bedford Tigers: Caroline Collie, Shona Dixon, Siobhan Drummond, Laura Gott, Frankie Bunting, Lil Stanton, Rachel Taylor, Claire-Aimee Grimshaw, Katie Allerton, Geri Hollister, Charlotte Hamlyn-Williams, Heather Addison Prout, Ash Prescott 

Interchanges: Summer Clarke, Hariette Chambers, Wellie Clark, Lauren Poole 

Head Coach: Rob Ashton 

Though London were most certainly the favourites ahead of the game, it was the Tigers who started on top in this affair. Claire-Aimee Grimshaw was causing the hosts all sorts of problems, and eventually got her rewards with a bobbing and weaving run capped off with the opening try having fended off numerous challenges along the way. 

That conversion was missed, but the advantage was doubled soon after as Bedford continued their excellent start by capitalising on the Broncos failing to clear their lines and eventually worked the ball across the defensive line to Siobhan Drummond to power over on the far side. Again, no conversion but London found themselves shell-shocked and 0-8 down .

*Photo by James Glassup

To gain a foothold in the game and get on the scoreboard, patient play was required from the Broncos but when they got their opportunity, they took it. A slightly misplaced Jessica Ingram pass was well picked up by Rosie Cairns who was able to gather the ball safely and score in the corner to half the deficit. 

Bedford then became their own worst enemy, giving possession away multiple times inside their own ten-metre line and having being let off the hook numerous times, the Tigers finally paid the price as they succumbed to a bulldozing Kinesha Selby carry, before Jamie Blazejewski made the pick-up, dove over the line and persevered to to force the ball down. Kathryn Salter converted to put the Broncos 10-8 up.

But, on the stroke of half-time, Bedford were back ahead thanks to a sensational solo run from Lil Stanton, who made her way from inside her own half all the way to the try line with raw pace, leaving countless London players in their tracks. Grimshaw’s first successful conversion saw the Tigers go in with 10-14 lead at the break.

It was clear that head coach Colin Baker’s halftime team talk worked well for London though, as the Broncos came out with new energy and determination. Bedford knocked the ball on directly from the kick-off, and the hosts were able to take full advantage with Emily Hughes going over under the posts.

This was followed by Salter doing her bit with ball in hand as she found a beautiful inside pass to Kinesha Selby, allowing the prop to go over for her brace and having trailed at half-time, London now had an eight-point advantage within seven minutes of the restart, 22-14 on the scoreboard.

Bedford weren’t done yet though, and Lil Stanton doubled her money with a brace of her own soon after to claw the Tigers back to within touching distance of their opponents. The conversion went wide, but London knew that they had to take control of this game for once and for all, and did so with two tries in the next ten minutes.

*Photo by James Glassup

Blazejewski first made a sensational pickup to find teammate Ruth Mottershead who went over uncontested to extend the home side’s lead before interchange Siobhan Longdon-Hughes came on and powered her way over the line. One successful conversion from those two by Salter and a 32-18 scoreline had the Broncos comfortably ahead.

The game was rapidly slipping away from the visitors, and London were making sure that there was no way back as Emily Hughes caught a weary Tigers’ defence napping to score London’s seventh try.

It was going to take something pretty special for Bedford to claw their way back into the game, and ‘pretty special’ would be the perfect description of Caroline Collie’s individual effort. She displayed excellent footwork to evade any tacklers before showing tremendous pace in her race to the line. A strong fend off was enough to secure the four points and an excellent try for her team. 

Collie then provided the fans filtering in with an action replay of her previous try, scoring in exactly the same fashion in exactly the same corner with the exact same fend off. Real-life Deja Vu in the Women’s Super League South. 

36-30 with seven minutes remaining, the nerves may have started to jangle for those of a Broncos persuasion, but a late try killed the game off with Courtney Treco picking up a lost ball lost backwards and scoring to give her team some much-needed breathing room, securing a 42-30 victory come the final hooter.

Full Time: London Broncos Ladies 42-30 Bedford Tigers 

A winning first outing at the Ealing Trailfinders Sports Ground for the ladies of the London Broncos, and while they will be playing at a new home once again next season, they made their mark with a vital win. 

Bedford were extremely competitive throughout, starting very much the better side and then clawing their way back into the game prior to two late tries. The Tigers certainly gave a good account of themselves, and although they finish bottom, they can hold their heads high for competing against a big rugby league name in the Broncos, arguably the biggest in the south.

They will now look toward next season and hope that they can make the adjustments required to make the play-offs in the 2022 campaign, as well as securing a first win having now lost all four of their fixtures in the inaugural campaign.

London, ultimately, just had a little too much quality in this game, and will subsequently progress into the play-offs. They will likely travel to play the Cardiff Demons, who – barring some hefty defeats – will top the equivalent Western Conference. 

All in all, this was a tremendous platform for women’s rugby league, playing in a double-header with the men before they played out such a big game against Toulouse in the men’s Betfred Championship respectively. It will have been a tremendous experience for both sets of players.

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