Rearguard resilience earns red shirts success against Sweden

The Army Senior Women got their first win of 2023 at the first time of asking, and the 18-5 win over Sweden at a chilly Aldershot needed every ounce of resilience from the team in red.

Having scored all their points in the first half, Spr Lauren Brooks (RE) leading the way with a pair of tries, the Army spent virtually all of the second half deep in their own territory and having to repel wave after wave of Swedish attack.

WO2 Sarah Mitchelson (RLC) and her coaches will have plenty to review on both sides of the ball, though, as some of the attacking shape in the first half was as strong as the defensive solidity in the second.

SSgt Jade Mullen (RA) led from the front with some eye-catching tackles, but the defensive action was a true team effort.

Skipper SSgt Jade Mullen lead her team from the front.

Meanwhile Mullen’s Harlequins team mate, Spr Brooks (RE), was a standout player in attack, not least when she burst through the defensive line to take play deep into the visitors’ 22 and earn the position which eventually brought the opening points of the contest from Pte Courtney Pursglove’s (RLC) right boot.

It took a further 10 minutes for the Army to get back into a promising attacking position, courtesy of a Pte Pursglove touch-finding penalty. In between times the team was put through its paces defensively once again, but, following the theme of the day, Sweden were stymied in their attempts to get close to the home whitewash.

While the lineout which came from Pte Pursglove’s penalty was lost, Sweden’s clearance could only find full back Capt Becky Church (AMS), whose run back was followed by a touchfinder which touched a blue player on the way through to the touchline a few metres out.

This time the Army pack would make the most of the opportunity, driving Spr Brooks over at the second time of asking to extend the lead to 8-0 just before the half-hour.

Four minutes later the lead was in double figures, Spr Brooks crashing over from close range for her second. This time the attacking position came via more unconventional means, Pte Pursglove missing touch with a penalty but following up superbly to put the Swedish rearguard under pressure.

Quite a debut performance from Spr Lauren Brooks.

Eventually a five-metre scrum was awarded, which in turn became a penalty and then – several patient phases later – the try. Pte Pursglove converted and with the break just a couple of minutes away the Army had a healthy 15-0 advantage.

There was still time for the hosts to enjoy some more positive action, though, as they both ended the half a player to the good in the pack thanks to a yellow card shown to Sweden flanker, Linnea Flymen, and with three more points on the board, Pte Pursglove landing a second penalty.

Unfortunately, the Army could not capitalise any further on the player advantage when play resumed in heavy rain, despite setting up camp deep in Sweden’s 22. Instead, the first sight of the whitewash belonged to the visitors, who sent a superb touchfinding penalty to the five-metre line.

Phase play created space for the winger, only for an outstanding piece of cover defence from SSgt Mullen to hold the ball up when the try had seemed a formality in the corner.

There was more pressure to come, not least when a yellow for ATPR Alice Rees (AAC) left the Army pack short-handed. But they continued to resist, and indeed create half-opportunities themselves.

Bdr Bethan Dainton (RA) made a fantastic break from the scrum base, finding Spr Brooks with the inside ball, and there was a promising break up the left touchline from Pte Pursglove, who stayed strong to find a supporting runner.

Unfortunately, the handling was not quite as crisp elsewhere and when Cornelia Norén turned the ball over for Sweden play was sent wide and the winger was away down the touchline. But again the the visitors were denied, this time by a forward pass, and remained unrewarded for their efforts.

The score may still have been 18-0 at the hour point, but Sweden were increasingly in the game and with the wind at their backs.

They had a player advantage for a second time, too, when Tpr Holly Beacom (HCR) was sin binned after the Army’s penalty count had gone that little too far.

But despite battering away time and again at the Army line, Sweden were prevented a break through time and again, and even when they did create a single overlap centre Minona Nunstedt let the ball bounce, which in turn allowed the defence to scramble.

All of that pressure had to tell eventually, Linda Håkansson going over in the far corner. There was another yellow card for the Army to accommodate, too, Pte Jasmine Conn (RLC) ending the game a couple of minutes early, but by then it was too late for a comeback to be completed.