Aylesford Bulls ladies won their final league game of the season to maintain their 100% record and finish the season as the only unbeaten team in the top three levels of English ladies rugby.
The Bulls Ladies now await Plymouth Albion in the promotion play off to decide who progresses to level 2, Championship South.
The Ladies travelled the two hours to Suffolk for the final league game of the season. Having already won the league and having one eye on the promotion play off this was always going to be a tough game particularly with Woodbridge looking to better their last performance against the Bulls where they where thrashed 86-00.
The Bulls started brightly, piling on the pressure from the kick off with returning fly half Ema Vereivalu running the ball deep into the Woodbridge 22. In the next 15 minutes the Bulls had many chances to score but either took the wrong decision or were penalised close to the line. Following more sustained pressure the scoring was finally opened when back rower Liz Philp slotted a penalty from 10 metres out in front of the posts on 20 minutes.
Having weathered the early storm Woodbridge made their way in to the Bulls 22. Securing the ball at the breakdown they span the ball wide to their winger who managed to squeeze over out wide with half an hour gone. Almost immediately the Bulls made their way back into the Woodbridge 22.
Back under more pressure the Bulls were awarded a penalty 15 metres out. Following a set move the ball made its way to No 8 Jade Binskin-Barnes who had already made a number of telling runs, She busted through two tackles to go in under the posts on 35 minutes. Philp added the conversion. With the half nearly up the Bulls kept the pressure on.
The ball was secured at a five metre line out and the driving maul was set up. Hooker Vicky Sieben took control at the back and guided the pack over the line to score the try on 40 minutes, giving the Bulls a 15-05 lead.
The Bulls again started brightly maintaining possession in the Woodbridge 22 . Following some strong surges the ball was turned over, realising two Bulls players were down injured Woodbridge sent the ball wide to their winger who raced in from inside her own 22 after 50 minutes. From the restart the Bulls were again deep in Woodbridge territory.
A well timed ball from Vereivalu saw Centre Clair Richardson power past two would be tacklers then out pace the rest of the defence to score under the posts on the 55 minute clock. Philp added the easy two points. As the Bulls pressed for more points Woodbridge pounced on a loose ball with most of the Bulls players tied in the the ball was again spread wide to the winger for a carbon copy of the first try totally against the run of play.
The Bulls once again made their way deep into Woodbridge territory, following strong drives from Prop Claire Phillips, replacement back rowers Alice Pettitt and Jen Vik as well as No 8 Binskin-Barnes. With only seven points in it frustration grew as every time the Bulls were near the line they were penalised.
Richardson and fellow centre Rebecca Rowe both crossed untouched for perfectly legitimate tries but the match official couldn’t award either as he was in no position to see them grounded.
The final break through came on 75 minutes when Jen Vik powered over close to the line to end the game as a contest, Philp again added the extras. True to the form of the game the Bulls were straight back in the Woodbridge 22 from the kick off. With a time nearly up the Bulls won a penalty ten metres out in front of the posts so Philp chipped it over to give the Bulls a 32-15 win.
Forward of the match went to No 8 Jade Binskin-Barnes who carried superbly throughout and back of the match went to scrum half Katie Dootson who coped well at an increasingly lawless breakdown.
Team: French, Schneider, Rowe, Richardson, Olliver, Vereivalu, Dootson, Schorah, Sieben, Phillips, Mayhew, Smith, Davies, Philp, Binskin-Barnes.
Reps: Pettitt, Vik, Saunders, Parker, Benbow.