Lt Sally Stott (RAVC) made her long-awaited return to club action this past weekend, coming off the bench to help Loughborough Lightning finish their Allianz Cup campaign on a winning note.
Lt Stott, who made her Inter-Services Championship debut in the win over the RAF last month, has been absent from her club match day squads since September, thanks to an extended lay-off due to illness and subsequent return to training.
She came off the bench midway through the second half as Loughborough welcomed DMP Durham Sharks to the Midlands in the 9th/10th play-off. Lightning were well in control by that stage, leading 36-12, but there was still time for them to run in four more tries to make the final score 60-12.
There was another return to club action in west London, where Sgt Louise Dodd (QARANC) had her first outing for Wasps since the end of November.
Sgt Dodd spent the winter months in the Army’s winter sports programme before returning to rugby for the spring, and after a spell at Newbury and a start in the red shirt against the RAF she was back in black as Wasps hosted Sale Sharks to Twyford Avenue for the Allianz Cup’s 7th/8th play-off.
After Sale opened the scoring in the second minute Wasps battled back to score twice before half-time to lead 14-7 at the break. However the Sharks opened the second half as they had done in the first 40 minutes, and while Wasps led once again just before the hour mark Sale struck twice in five minutes to hit the front once again.
Wasps did have a chance of a draw, but Sale held up a drive over the line to secure the win, 28 points to 21.
In the European Challenge Cup LCpl Semesa Rokoduguni (Scots DG) was back on the Bath wing for their trip to Edinburgh.
The first half was end-to-end stuff in scoring terms, as the teams matched each other blow for blow. When the whistle went for half-time Bath’s three tries had them in front 19-15, but in the second half only one half of the scoreboard was kept ticking over as Edinburgh went over the whitewash four more times.
The 41-19 final score sees Bath out of European competition and focusing on finishing the Premiership in as strong a way as possible with Worcester, Newcastle and Bristol in their sights for the battle to avoid the wooden spoon.
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Words © New Dogs, Old Tricks.
Header and Featured Images © Army v RAF Match – Alligin Photography, Lee Crabb
