Hartpury crowned National League champs
HARTPURY women sealed their second successive Women’s National League (league) crown with a 7621 victory over Cardiff. Securing victory in their last game of the league season, and at home, means Hartpury can sit back and relax while the rest of the league’s six teams battle it out for play-off positions in the final two league rounds.
Tries from Amy Dale, Betty Matthews, Clara Grizzle-Johnson, Gemma Bell, Jess Kershaw, Lucia Scott (2), Olivia Constable, as well as four from Daisy Aspinall helped ignite the party atmosphere and lead Hartpury to a record 51 league points, bettering their tally of 44 from last year.
They did play two extra games this year with the introduction of this week’s opponents Cardiff. The expansion to a seven-team league created a unique fixture schedule that meant Hartpury were playing games in hand until round 14 at the end of January. As a result, their character was tested all season as Cardiff Met sat top for 12 weeks.
Hartpury’s crucial results, therefore, came after round 12 when they cashed in on a postponed game against Durham to climb to the top, and then backed that up with victory over Exeter. Ultimately, they were worthy champions, especially considering their 386 points difference, underlined by a staggering 551 points for.
Despite this week’s heavy defeat, newcomers Cardiff have done well to avoid bottom. Both Cardiff and Durham are on just one win, so it is likely they will be second-bottom, and bottom play-off seeds respectively.
Hartpury will have a bye to the semi-finals, but the easier fixtures against Cardiff and Durham are being fought for by Loughborough, Exeter, and Met. Exeter are in the strongest position; wins against Cardiff, then Edinburgh at Sandy Park on March 9 will secure second place, whilst Met look good to secure third regardless of their result against Loughborough next week.
The BUCS men’s teams return to action this week.