Cheltenham Ladies 55 – 5 Lutterworth Ladies

 Cheltenham’s first half performance was lacklustre against a fired up Lutterworth. The opposition played to their strength which was to keep it tight under the control of their large pack. Cheltenham needed good possession to take the ball out wide and use their pacey back line.  However, Lutterworth’s determination denied the home team much possession. Cheltenham managed to spin it out wide for Laura Hale to sprint around the opposition to touch down, converted by Bee Mocellin. The line outs were accurate once again with the forwards executing an effective four man line out that gave a determined Sophie Hinds the opportunity to power through and score. Lutterworth were very strong up front and they kept possession and drove Cheltenham back towards their line, this resulted in them scoring a well deserved try. In the second half Cheltenham’s superior fitness and pace became apparent on an energy sapping hot day. Centre Danni Love, who had been cutting lines through the opposition all day, found space to run in her first try for the club, converted by Mocellin. In an ill disciplined period, Cheltenham received 2 yellow cards for high tackles but this seemed to inspire the home side with everyone working hard to overcome the disadvantage. Fullback Briege Williams ran back to receive a kick from Lutterworth on  the Cheltenham try line, and then in a fantastic display attacked the opposition's defensive line and weaved through the opposition to score, converted by Mocellin. With Lutterworth struggling in the heat, Cheltenham found more space to run at. Sarah Maclaren exploited a well worked overlap to run in a try and Mocellin cut through the defensive line to score and convert her try. The pack managed to hold their ground enabling Williams to run in 2 more trys, one converted by Mocellin.

Forward of the Match: Kath - She performed well on her return to the team....despite being awarded a yellow card for a high tackle!

Back of the Match: Danni - For cutting great lines through the defence and backing her pace to run in her first try for the club!

Yellow cards for: High tackles for both Kath and Aimie - well done :o)

Shelford Ladies 14 – 33 Cheltenham Ladies 

After an early start and a long journey, a lacklustre Cheltenham was soon rudely awakened by a feisty Shelford team. The opposition started strongly and the first 10 minutes of the match saw them repeatedly attack the Cheltenham try line this resulted in them scoring a well deserved converted try. Cheltenham gathered themselves and the pack moved well to drive the game nearer to Shelfords line. Stella produced some storming runs and nearly made the try line after running 30 meters with numerous opposition players failing to stop her. With Cheltenham camped yards from the Shelford try line, Stella once again made an impressive run and Briege Williams was on hand to rip the ball from the maul and run in an unopposed try, converted by Bee Mocellin. Cheltenham had all the possession and a backs move, well orchestrated by Mocellin, saw Williams run in another converted try. Late in the first half, the Cheltenham forwards drove a maul halfway up the pitch and a great pick up and powerful run saw Sophie Hinds score in the corner. With the referee praising centre Naomi Dillon for playing like an animal, Cheltenham were hoping to start dominating the match, however, Shelford were quick to put the pressure on and kept play in the Cheltenham half. A defensive scrum 5m from their try line gave Cheltenham’s Caroline Hardy a chance to exploit a big gap in the Shelford defence and allow space for Williams run the length of the pitch to score, converted by Mocellin. A strong Shelford pack once again made gaps in Cheltenham’s defence and they powered in for a converted try. With tempers flaring on both sides, the teams struggled to stay focused on the game. Shelford didn’t learn from previous mistakes and once again left a big gap for Mocellin to exploit and set Williams off on another long run to score a converted try under the posts.

Forward of the Match: Stella - for being sexy (Stella wrote that) and for playing well and she joined the elite club of 'scoring a try over the 5m line not the try line'...doh (other members include Loll and Caroline).

Back of the Match: Briege - for running from her own try line to the other end of the pitch to score a try.....twice!

Cheltenham Ladies 0 - 0 Loughborough Women

After a last minute venue shift, the match was moved from a wet and muddy POW to a wet, muddy and windy Newlands. It was a very frustrating match in awful conditions with both sides knocking the ball on, making mistakes and being unable to retain possession. Cheltenham started brightly when a good passage of play saw Briege Williams take the ball and run around the opposition to score....or so she thought....the ref deemed that it had been dropped.......even though it hadn't! This unfortunately was the only time when either team crossed the line. Caroline Hardy did well to take the ball and carry it over the line...only to discover it was the 5m line and not the try line as she thought! As the rain got heavier, the wind became windier and generally the backs froze their asses off....nothing much of interest happened. Both teams attacked and tried to keep the intensity going and although the moves started strongly, they were never finished. Lauren Williams produced some quick and effective moves from the back of the scrum but the supporting play was not quick enough to help carry the ball further. The packs of both teams worked well in the slippery conditions and the Cheltenham forwards ensured their team had a lot of possession and territory, but it all came to nothing. The end result was very disappointing with no one in the team recalling a match with the end result as 0-0!!!

Forward of the Match: Suzi - for being strong and effective in the scrum, despite not feeling her best!

Back of the Match: Naomi - for playing well and to show we will miss her when she moves to scummy Bedford!

Extra pints for: Vicki- for her birthday, Hannah - for her birthday and Sophie - for playing her first match for us!

Olney Ladies 5 – 19 Cheltenham Ladies

Cheltenham travelled to Olney knowing that they were going to be tough opposition. The first half was evenly matched, Olney were strong in defence and Cheltenham found it hard to find gaps. Lauren Williams made a break from the back of the scrum and almost scored only to be caught and brought down a few metres from the try line. Cheltenham again attacked and a maul saw the forwards drive over the line only to be held up by Olney. Aimie Gardner’s accurate throwing in from the line outs gave Cheltenham plenty of attacking opportunities but the Olney defence was tight. Olney produced a fine period of attacking ball and they were eventually rewarded with a try. The Second half saw Cheltenham start playing the quick, flowing rugby that they were used to. Quick recycling of the ball enabled Naomi Dillon to finally find a gap in the defence as she ran in a try, converted by Bee Mocellin. The forwards contested strongly at the breakdowns with Stella Beck producing some powerful runs that saw her batter through opposition tackles. Olney kept pressurising the Cheltenham line but good defensive tackling saw them fumble the ball which was scooped up by Briege Williams who sprinted in to score, converted by Mocellin. Kat Johnston, playing her first full game for Cheltenham, was strong in the front row and Tammy Shakespeare, playing out of position at inside centre, stole a lot of opposition ball. A final driving maul resulted in Caroline Hardy ripping the ball and diving over the line to score.

Forward of the Match: Vicky Smith - for putting in some crunching tackles and generally being all over the pitch.

Back of the Match: Caroline Hardy - for great lines of running, strength in attack and defence.

Special Mention: Kat Johnston - for playing her first full match and doing a fab job.

Cheltenham Ladies 33 - 12 Oakham Ladies

Cheltenham struggled to settle and recapture the form they had shown the previous week. Oakham were a big, powerful pack and it was obvious that Cheltenham’s strength would be to pass it out wide and use their pacey backs. Briege Williams was on the end of a well timed pass from Tammy Shakespeare as she scored under the posts, converted by Bee Mocellin. Cheltenham scored almost straight from the restart as this time Sarah Maclaren was in the right place to take the ball and score, again converted by Mocellin. Cheltenham seemed to lose composure and Oakham took the opportunity to prove their strength and from a scrum they drove over to score. Cheltenham’s front 5 had tough opposition but they worked tirelessly all match with Billy Chapman shrugging off injuries in the front row. Williams scored again before half time. Although Oakham were tiring they still fought well to disrupt the scrums and early in the second half they drove over to score a converted try. The forwards had an excellent lineout game and produced some great catch and drives with Vicky Smith driving hard. Naomi Dillon had another great game at outside centre and floated a beautiful pass out to Williams who cut through a gap to score, converted by Mocellin. Cheltenham carried on pushing hard and the bonus point converted try was scored by Williams who once again was on the receiving end of some excellent passing down the backs attacking line.

Forward of the Match: Billy Chapman - Though she was still feeling the effects from last week, Billy was a rock in the front row and worked hard against tough opposition

Back of the Match: Briege Williams - For finally scoring that elusive hat trick!

Cheltenham Ladies 30 - 17 Camp Hill Women

In a top of the table thriller, Cheltenham inflicted defeat on league leaders Camphill for the first time in three seasons. Cheltenham started with a bang when after just a few minutes Laura Hale was on the receiving end of a good period of possession and ran around the defence to score. This was a great start for Cheltenham but it spurred on the opposition and they kicked over Cheltenham’s defensive line to chase the ball and touch down for a converted try. Possession was the key to Cheltenham’s game with the forwards having an excellent rucking game and every player on the pitch working hard. Good vision by fly half Bee Mocellin saw her kick the ball over the defence and the resulting chase saw Briege Williams take the ball off an opposition player to score. Cheltenham had momentum and the inspired centre partnership of Maz Claassons and Naomi Dillon saw them continuously break tackles and find spaces which lead to a score by Williams. Camphill scored again just before half time.  Cheltenham started the second half strongly with a catch and drive from a lineout providing a great opportunity for Steph Carlyon to power over to score. Cheltenham was awarded a penalty and a quick tap and go lead to a determined Tammy Shakespeare evading tackles to score. Camphill scored again from a good drive but it was Cheltenham’s day and Dillon created space for herself to run in a try before the final whistle. Cheltenham secured a great win and a bonus point to keep alive their promotion chances.

Forward of the Match: Steph Carlyon - As it was her final game for us before leaving to join the RAF, Steph obviously had something to prove. She showed great strength in both attack and defence and was generally everywhere on the pitch.

Back of the Match: Maz Claassons...again...what can I say that hasn't been said for the other 4 times she has won Back of the Match...Awesome as usual!

Stoneygate Ladies 0 - 24 Cheltenham Ladies

Cheltenham worked hard in wet and windy conditions to win their Midlands 1 league fixture. Stoneygate were strong in defence but Cheltenham got an early lead when swift passing down the back line enabled Briege Williams to out-pace the opposition to score, Bee Mocellin converted. The Cheltenham pack united to provide a solid attacking base and Maz Claassons took advantage to consistently break through the opposition line. A ruck near the Stoneygate line gave Cheltenham an overlap and Laura Hale scored an easy try. The second half was disrupted by numerous injuries to Stoneygate but Cheltenham kept their concentration and after a quick tap penalty by Caroline Hardy, Williams scored again, converted by Mocellin. Cheltenham let Stoneygate back into the game and after a great run by the opposition fly half they crossed the line but a try saving tackle by Naomi Dillon saw the Stoneygate player drop the ball. This inspired the ladies from Leicester and they once again crossed the line but luckily for Cheltenham they knocked the ball on. Cheltenham sealed victory with an 80 metre sprint by Hale to score again.

Forward of the Match: Suzi Jones. For strong supporting runs and good attacking line. Strong in the scrums and in defence!

Back of the Match: Maz Claassons. This is the 4th time this season that Maz has received back of the match! She shows consistent great form in both attack and defence...brill!

Lutterworth Ladies 7 - 43 Cheltenham Ladies

I have written the match report, but I've lost it somewhere and cant be bothered to re-write it now cos I'm tired, so once I find it i'll put it on here. We won though...yey!

Forward of the Match: Kath Dean. For carrying the ball well, pushing through opposition tackles and almost getting a try by running fast!

Back of the match: Bee Mocellin. She had a cool head under pressure from a speedy opposition flanker, moved the ball well and showed flair when kicking out of hand!

Dick of the Match: Kat Johnston. Last year in our away fixture against Lutterworth, Kat was yellow carded within a few minutes of being on the pitch. Sunday was like deja vue.....once again she was sin binned within a few moments of stepping onto the pitch....oh dear....!

Cheltenham Ladies 44 - 0 Shelford Ladies

Cheltenham once again dominated in their Midlands 1 league match against visitors Shelford. Pressure straight from the kick off  saw a strong Cheltenham maul drive up the pitch which resulted in Caroline Hardy popping over in the corner to score a try. Another period of sustained pressure led to Briege Williams scoring a quick try. Cheltenham attacked the Shelford line again, the visitors managed to snatch the ball and kick it down field, only for Briege to catch it again and run in her second try. Cheltenham were very dominant in the scrums and line outs with Hooker Ruth Berry's throwing in improving every match and Lauren Williams and Tammy Shakespeare soaring high in the line outs. Despite this good initial performance, Cheltenham lost discipline and they seemed to forget how to ruck, this let Shelford back into the game and although they came close, they were denied a score. Kath Dean once again showed strength and pace to break through opposition tackles to cross the line and score. The second half saw influential performances from Kath and Tammy with Lauren working well at the back of the scrum. The scrum continued to be a strong area for Cheltenham with the home side winning opposition ball against the head thanks to a superb performance from the front row. With centres Maz Claassons and Angie Sells continuously crossing the gain line, Cheltenham spent much of the second half with the try line in their sights resulting in Naomi Dillon and Tammy scoring. Hannah Morgan came off her wing to cut through the opposition to score, only for referee Phil Watters to claim that it wasn't touched down, even though we could all see it, the supporters could see it and even those in the bar agreed it was a try...thanks Watters, Hannah was thus denied her first score for the club! Steph Carylon picked up from the back of a ruck to score and Tammy was an unstoppable machine as she powered through for her second try with Bee Mocellin converting twice!

Forward of the match: Tammy Shakespeare. Once she had the try line in her sights there was no stopping her and her defensive work was awesome!

Back of the match: Briege Williams, for a consistent and dependable performance.

Loughborough Ladies 15 - 22 Cheltenham Ladies

Cheltenham travelled up to Loughborough for this Midlands Division 1 league game, with Loughborough being top of the table. It was a hard fought game from the first whistle but with Cheltenham’s great defence and superb handling they beat the top of the league team! Accurate throwing from Ruth Berry in the line outs gave Cheltenham a good platform to work from and swift hands from the backs gave Briege Williams a chance to show her pace and score the first try. Loughborough then came back with a try from their forwards off a lineout. Soon after Williams skitted around the Loughborough defence to score a second try. Loughborough then came back with a try from their winger putting the score 10 -10 at half time.

Cheltenham upped their game in the second half and with some more great handling and support Angela Sells went over the line for the third try. Amie Stinchcombe was once again unstoppable throughout the match and Stella Beck a rock in the front row! Cheltenham forwards then took the ball down the pitch and with a pass from Stephanie Carlyon, Tammy Shakespeare carried it over to score under the posts which Mariette Claassens converted.  In the last eight minutes of the match Cheltenham had to work hard to defend their line but mistakes allowed Loughborough to power over the line to score. Once again Loughborough pounded the Cheltenham line with a winning try in their sights but Cheltenham held firm to beat the league leaders!

Forward of the Match: Aimie Stinchcombe. Once again ‘The Stinch’ kicked arse all over the pitch…..has this girl no fear!

Back of the Match: Maz Claassens. Another regular in the Back of the Match category, Maz once again ran through everyone, tackled everything  and cut holes through the defence!

Cheltenham Ladies 31 – 8 Olney Ladies

Teamwork and perseverance saw Cheltenham Ladies produce a convincing win over Olney Ladies in Midlands division 1. A short spell of Cheltenham indiscipline at the start gave the visitors a chance to convert a penalty but the home side counter attacked which resulted in a try for Briege Williams.  The Cheltenham forwards worked well with hooker Ruth Berry throwing accurately into the line outs which enabled the backs to get their hands on the ball and ran from deep inside their own half to result in another try for Williams, converted by Angie Sells. The Olney forwards showed good rucking ability and Cheltenham were on the back foot for much of the 1^st half but they defended well and denied Olney a score. The second half started well with Tammy Shakespeare stealing Olney ball from a ruck which brought the backs into play to push further up field, supporting play again from Shakespeare gave Kath Dean an opportunity to show her strength as she drove over the line to score. Cheltenham briefly lost some composure and a strong Olney scrum saw them eventually drive over the line to score. Another period of flowing rugby gave Bee Mocellin a chance to show off her skills as she chipped the ball over the opposition, gathered it and ran it in under the posts, she converted her own try. The Olney backs were big and powerful so Cheltenham used their pace to create gaps and Sells, whose lines of running had been superb all match, was rewarded with a try after slicing through her opposite centres, Mocellin converted. 

Forward of the match: Amie Stinchcombe – for sticking her head in everywhere in showing great strength and support all round the pitch

Back of the Match: Angie Sells – for superb angles of running and, as usual, great aggression!

Oakham Ladies 18 – 32 Cheltenham Ladies

Cheltenham secured a hard fought win over league newcomers Oakham ladies in Midlands 1. The opposition had a powerful pack so Cheltenham attacked quickly using the pace of their backs to get an early try through Briege Williams. Oakham succeeded in slowing the ball down and attacked the Cheltenham line, this pressure resulted in them kicking a penalty. Cheltenham hit back with fly half Danni Love passing quick ball to spin it out wide for Williams to score. Oakham once again responded strongly with a massive scrum on the Cheltenham 5 metre line and despite a staunch effort by the forwards the opposition drove over to score. Cheltenham kept their composure and a period of pressure saw Laura Hale run around the opposition to score and Sarah McClaren gathered up a loose Oakham kick to touch down in the corner. The Cheltenham forwards performed well under pressure from the opposition with Aimie Stinchcombe and Billy Chapman working tirelessly in the front row. Flanker Naomi Dillon had a superb first match for Cheltenham putting in some huge tackles and a good break from Dillon lead to Hale running the whole length of the pitch to score and get the bonus point for Cheltenham. Oakham managed to score twice more using strong drives from their forwards to cross the line. A highlight of the match for Cheltenham was the final try scored by Caroline Hardy which was created by accurate passing and excellent support work from all the backs, Maz Claassons converted.

Forward of the Match: Naomi Dillion – for generally being everywhere, doing anything to get the opposition and running well with ball in hand. 

Back of the match: Caroline Hardy - For being strong around the base of the scrum, showing good awareness and scoring a fab try.

                                                               Camphill ladies 19 - 12 Cheltenham Ladies

Cheltenham started badly against their main rivals in Midlands division 1 when Camphill ran in an early try. Cheltenham soon

gathered themselves and after a period of sustained pressure they were awarded a penalty try as a Camphill player was yellow

 carded for foul play. Cheltenham took the one man advantage and pushed hard at the opposition line resulting in darting run

from Laura Hale which saw her score under the posts, Maz Claassens converted. The second half saw Cheltenham loose composure

as Camphill scored early on, this put Cheltenham on the back foot defending their try line for much of the second half. Another sin bin

for the opposition saw Cheltenham fail to capitalise on the advantage and despite some strong runs by Kath Dean and Laura Hale,

Cheltenham failed to score. Ill disciplined defending allowed Camphill to score another try to seal the win.

Forward of the match: Kath Dean - For good presence on the pitch and having strength in the scrums.

Back of the match: Laura Hale – For good defending and showing great pace…. running through and around the opposition.

                                                                 Cheltenham Ladies 22 – 0 Stoneygate Ladies

24th Sept 2006 - Cheltenham got off to a winning start in Midlands Division 1. The home team scored quickly after a sustained attack by the forwards gave Angela Sells a chance to run around the opposition to score, converted by Maz Claassens. Stoneygate hit back and were disruptive in the scrums and line outs, preventing Cheltenham getting clean ball for their backs to work with. However, the Cheltenham forwards performed well in open play with strong attacks lead by Stella Beck and Aimie Gardner. Lauren Williams operated well at ten and the backs combined well to enable Briege Williams to score twice. Steph Carlyon and Kath Dean worked hard all match moving the ball around the pitch and the whole team combined to dominate the opposition in the rucks. Laura Hale managed to find space out on the wing and sped through to score.  The second half was saw no score from either team and was scrappy and ill disciplined, this resulted in a yellow card for Claassens. Despite some continued strong attacks from Stoneygate, Cheltenham held fast to deny them a score.

Forward of the match: Steph Carlyon - For strong running, good pace and excellent tackling.

Back of the match: Maz Claassons - For good lines of running, battering through the opposition and good defensive work.

Supermarine Ladies 0-41 Cheltenham Ladies

17th Sept 2006 - Cheltenham travelled to Supermarine for a final friendly before the season begins. Despite having an experimental squad Cheltenham came away with a convincing victory of 41-0. Supermarine had a strong pack, but Cheltenhams front five performed very well under pressure especially Steph Carlyon who stepped in at prop. Sarah Culbert and Maz Claassens, both playing out of position, gave great performances at back row putting in some hard tackles. Caroline Hardy returned to the Cheltenham team with a convincing performance scoring a try from a chip over by Bee Mocellin. The Cheltenham backs dominated their opposition, defending well and using set moves to cut through Supermarine to score. Briege Williams ran in four tries, two of which were converted by Mocellin. Laura Hale found space to run in a try and Claassens continued her good form to score and convert a try.

Forward of the match: Steph Carlyon - For solid defensive work, strong running and good hands.

Back of the match: Maz Claassons - For being everywhere on the pitch, accurate kicking and excellent strength and pace.

Supermarine 10's Tournament

Yes!!!!!...We won the tournament!

We arrived early, well prepared and ready to play...only to find out that the schedule had been changed and some teams had dropped out.....! So after sitting around for a few hours, shopping, sleeping, Stella entertaining the kids, we finally got to play. Our first match was against Witney who we had previously played whilst slightly, um, drunk on tour but this time we were sober and eager to prove we remembered how to play rugby. We took an early lead with 2 tries from Briege who ran around the Witney defence, this was followed by a try from Tammy. After half time, Kat decided she didn't want to play for us so became a Witney girl. Angie started to do some sniping runs through the opposition defence and scored 2 tries, one was a solo effort where she seemed to become invisible as no-one managed to even get close to tackling her. The front 5 players did well with strong, direct running lines from Aimee who was unlucky not to score a try. Bee and Maz worked hard in the centres to stop any Witney players breaking the line with Perry and Hannah running well down the wing. Loll finally decided to catch the ball and backed her pace to run in a try. Maz converted twice and Bee scored 1 conversion to leave the final score at 36-0.

 The final game against Supermarine was tougher than the 1st match as they had some hard hitting players. However, once again the Cheltenham defence was too strong and they never broke through the line. Good attacking lines from Cheltenham saw them often break the opposition line with Maz scoring a good try and Tammy running hard to score under the posts.  A strong run by Kath saw her link well with Bee to get the ball out to Loll to score, with Angie adding another and Briege scoring twice. Ruth and Billy did well in the front row and Stella showed off her handling skills as well as her strength, Rhiannon had her first match in Cheltenham colours. The final score was 34-0

We had won...yey...Supermarine Super 10s Champions 2006!

But even this wasn't enough for Kat who once again decided to play for Witney...persuading Rhiannon to join her...traitors (only joking...well done girls!)

Well done to everyone who played, thanks to Craig and to our supporters.