Millwall Venus XV

7th January 2007

Millwall Venus 0 Kilburn Cosmos 52

Match report by Jodie Botha

Claire Rimmer, Sarah Hills, Carmel Greek, Jodie Botha, Lindsey Henshall, Toni Cummins (capt), Rachel Dipper, Jo Richardson, Antonia Branston, Claire Higgins, Vicki “likes a sausage” Lawrence, Andrea Lendak

The first match after Xmas was always going to be tough, especially as we hadn't played since November. For me things were made a great deal worse with the throwing up twice in the warm up (and not because of being in the five bells the previous night), it was never going to be my finest game although I did a sterling lazy forward walloping tackle which I feel is certainly my hit of the season.

Despite our justified fears about the playing conditions after having watched the first team churn up the ground good and proper in Saturday's torrential downpour the conditions were actually alright in the end – the wind and rain holding off till the evening.

A try came quite early in the game – the suspicion that the Cosmos were going to run round us to score being confirmed (although I fail to see how this is different to how the other teams beat us – the break away try always kills us). A good twenty minutes of play followed for us where we managed to defend effectively but then sadly the Cosmos managed to get into a rhythm and started punishing us around the edges.

More tries followed in the second half and sadly we earned a seasons first in having not put any points on the board. This apparently means something significant for the inter team points competition between Toni Cummins and Jo Richardson.

The lack of fitness and again the tendency to watch the game rather than participate undid us once again. It wasn't all bad news though, a gutsy debut performance from Lindsey “Mushroom” Henshall was encouraging – despite her insistence she'd never put in a tackle she ended up at the bottom of human heap on more than one occasion – most notably making the solid Kiwi Prop yelp (although this may have been accident). Hooker Sarah had a good game and is improving in her attacking game as well putting in a very fine tackle or two. Half-back Jo deservedly earned herself a gin and tonic for a fiery attacking display although I suspect us forwards need to be taking more of the initiative in attack so she, Jo, can concentrate on controlling the game not making the game in future.

Make room for the mushrooms!

Click here to read the match reports from last season