Revenge was sweet for the Sydney University girls, under lights at Rat Park on Sunday night. After going down 34-19 to Warringah in last year’s grand final, the girls were out to prove a point in their round two match-up and a 30-0 scorecard said it all.
Uni started the game well – securing the ball from the kick-off and consolidating before fly-half Rachelle Pirie found touch inside Warringah territory. The pattern for the game was set, with Uni dominating both position and possession in a fast-paced encounter. The hardworking forwards kept constant pressure on the Warringah ball, not allowing them to settle into the game. This was replicated in the backs with solid one-on-one tackles forcing Warringah errors and shutting down any chances of phase play.
Uni converted their early dominance into points at the fifteen minute mark when Kelly Ducker scored the opening try in the corner, which was successfully converted by Pirie. Uni continued to dominate both at the set-piece and the breakdown though-out the first half and went in to half-time with a 13-0 lead, courtesy of two penalties from the impressive boot of Ash Hewson.
In the second-half the Uni pack continued to lead from the front, with Alex Hargreaves and Amy Robinson making some telling runs. At the fifty-minute mark Hewson put Hargreaves in space to score under the posts. Two more tries were scored through the backs with both Terry Thompson and Ash Hewson finding space down the left-hand touch-line after some good phase-play left the Warringah defence stretched. The final score was 30-0 (Tries: Hewson, Hargreaves, Ducker, Thompson; Cons: Pirie 1, Hewson 2; Pens: Hewson 2).
The Uni girls will face Penrith at home (St Johns) in round three this Saturday at 2pm.
