Women Put Darlington In Rugby Spotlight

source: Patricia Mowbray RFU

With only a single defeat and having scored 514 points and only conceded 92 all season, the women’s Sharks team of Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Club have stormed through to win the national championship.

Having secured their place at the top of the Rugby Football Union for Women’s Championship North League, yesterday Darlington Mowden Park Sharks took on Bath, the leaders of the South, and stormed to a well deserved 29 – 19 victory. Then they lined up to collect their champions’ medals off the England women’s coach.

This win gives them the chance to achieve their ultimate aim – a place in the women’s premiership. In two weeks time they face Worcester, languishing at the bottom of the premiership, with the play off vital for the Darlington women.

Sponsored by Skins, the under armour company, the Sharks quickly took the lead in the championship contest at Lichfield Rugby Club. Their first try was disallowed when a player made glancing contact with the referee after crossing the whitewash and en route to touching down under the posts. This certainly put fire in their bellies.

It was moments before they crossed the line again to emphasise their claim and by half time they were 21 – 5 ahead.

In a second half slowed by the opposition’s constant offside infringements and the awarding of penalties, the Sharks’ focus started to drift at times and they allowed Bath to take their points tally to 19.

It was never going to be enough, however, against such a determined Darlington side and the final score of 29 – 19 was achieved by a tremendous team effort as well as two tries, three conversions and a penalty from a dynamic Katy Mclean at fly half and two tries from outstanding centre Jo Watmore.

For some half dozen of the Sharks women the week commencing April 20th will be a huge challenge as they will play at Twickenham for Northumbria University in the women’s universities finals on the Wednesday and then line up against Worcester on the Sunday.

Says Sharks coach, Jo Hull, “Our girls have been great all season and produced consistent performances.

“We know we need to up our game to beat Worcester and reach the premiership. Yesterday we played well for 60 minutes, were excellent in the set piece and worked hard to beat the defence but we need 80 minutes outstanding play and we will be training hard to achieve it.

“Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Club have been tremendously supportive and can not do enough for us as their women’s team,” says Hull. “We are very grateful for their support and that of our sponsor, Skins, and hope we can do them proud.”