IN a prospect that must worry the other teams in Championship One South, the new look T-Birds appeared not to notice the absence of one of the best players in the world in the shape of holidaying World Cup winner, Rachael Burford.
The arrival of 2 more World Cup winners (Kay Wilson and Heather Fisher) and a Maltese 7s International (Bev Sultana) has brought the squad to another level and bolstered the England contingent to 5.
The T-Birds started another season with a bang as they strive for a return to top level of Women’s Rugby, the Premiership! They dismantled an hopelessly outclassed Trojans in every department of the game to score an incredible 18 trys despite this being the first outing for a new look team.
Trojans did their best and never stopped tackling, but it must have seemed a very long afternoon in the office to their players. With Fisher and Sultana carrying hard at every opportunity the Trojans defence was constantly sucked in to leave room for T’s electric back three of Wilson, Harris and Francis, while the dancing feet of Harvey squeezed through impossible gaps in midfield.
With the pack dominating scrum, lineout and ruck, regular T-Birds Harvey and Harris both scored in the first 10 minutes, but by half time Wilson and Fisher were in on the act, with Harris crossing the line again, joined by regular Francis.
With a constant supply of clean ball from Fisher and Cook, Fly Half Scott ran the show admirably with fine use of the boot to turn the Trojans rush defence and keep them honest.
8 First Half trys topped off with 5 conversions by Scott brought the score to 50-0!
With the game and the bonus point in the bag, T’s worked the bench early with Ortega Corrales joining the fray to claim her brace as the Ts notched up another 10 trys in the second half and 19 year old Kara Hepper made her Front Row debut at Oakfield.
Hat tricks for Fisher, Wilson and Harvey plus scores for Foy, Emerson and Jordan.F brought the final score to 104-Nil.
Team: Wilson (3T), Francis, Harvey (3T), Sultana, Harris(3T), Scott( 7C), Cook, Nichols, Foy(T), Micallef, Jordan.S, Jordan.F (T),, Phelps, Emerson(T), Fisher(3T), Rep: Hepper, Mountjoy, Radford, French, Ortega Corrales (2T),.
The T-Birds are away at Hove next Sunday 21st December, KO expected to be 2.45pm.
Next home fixture at Oakfield against Cheltenham Ladies on Sunday 28th September KO 2.45pm.
As always, Thurrock Ladies, the T-Birds welcome new players of any standard to their 2 teams.
We can promise you great training and a great social life. Just turn up on a Wednesday evening at 7.30.
THURROCK Ladies kicked off their championship campaign with an emphatic 104-0 win over Trojans at Oakfield.
New signings England internationals Heather Fisher and Kay Wilson showed their class both scoring hat-tricks as did centre India Harvey.
Wingers Dannie Harris and Bex Francis bagged a brace as did Maltese International Bev Sultana on her debut!
