Sharjah Match Review

24/02/2010

Sharjah Tournament Report

Sharjah is not known as the most beautiful of Emirates but you could be forgiven for picturing heaven a little …. two rugby tournaments in 28 degree heat where the beer flowed, the shwarma turned and the pool beckoned.

The pride of Abu Dhabi went into the tournament having lost three times in a row to the Hurricanes and needing to win each of the next three tournaments to hold onto their crown. It was going to be tough with third placed Toa and a good Sharjah outfit playing at home in their pool.

Abu Dhabi vs Sharjah

Abu Dhabi’s first opponents were a well organized Sharjah side who had run the top teams close in the last tournament. It was clear a marker needed to be put down and, as the ball arced into the blue sky and descended into the Sharjah centre’s hands, the marker was comprehensively sat on it’s ass as Hilary Gibson’s thudding hit crumpled the receiver where she stood. The defensive hit of the day in the first few seconds was then followed by the simplest but most elegant straighten of the line by Rachel Proops, the perfectly timed short pass put Jenny Matheson through the gap and Sorrell Bootham was there to run it in under the posts. Worth the price of admission itself. The rest of the half was typified by the blanket Abu Dhabi defence forcing Sharjah to cough the ball up time and time again. Estelle Uren went through the middle after one turnover for seven points and then bounced off three tackles to offload to Kellyanne Davey for the third of the half.

The second session saw more of the same unrelenting Abu defence and Sharjah were barely allowed two hurried passes before being dumped unceremoniously into own turf. One turnover led to a lovely looping pass from Laura McMahon beautifully taken one handed by Sorrell Bootham who immediately tucked it, put in a ferocious left arm fend and slipped the ball to Jenny Matheson in support. The ball was recycled and Estelle Uren went over under the posts. Jenny Matheson was a constant thorn in the Sharjah side regularly turning over ball at the breakdown and on the Sharjah scrum. One piece of pilfered possession was spun out to Helen Martin at fly half who fed Kellyanne Davey before getting the ball back on the loop and ghosting in under the posts. This was an excellent result against a strong side who were never allowed a sniff of an opportunity and boded well for the rest of the tournament.
Final score - Abu Dhabi 33 Sharjah 0

Abu Dhabi vs Toa

Once again the Abu blitz defence was in the pocket of their opponents from the first whistle. Some beautiful groundwork from Tiffany Allard stole the ball at the tackle, fed Estelle Uren who chipped ahead. She swept the ball off the deck popping it up to Sorrell Bootham in close support to go the distance. The restart showed a more fierce Abu defence with Tiffany Allard and Sorrell Bootham both making enveloping tackles. The icing on the large slice of Smash Cake on offer was hand delivered by Hilary Gibson, crashing the ball carrier into touch. Relentless Harlequins’ pressure had the daughters of Abu Dhabi camped in Toa’s territory for the entire half, but despite the one way traffic only one try was forthcoming. Then an Abu attack was turned over and sent out to “Speedy” on the wing. Anyone thinking her moniker was cruelly ironic for the powerfully built back was rudely disabused of the notion as she went fully 80m meters for the score, totally against the run of play. The bile in the Abu mouths was palpable.

With the sides tied the second half was a scrappy tense affair played entirely in the Toa half and began with both Sorrell Bootham and Hilary Gibson putting in intimidating hits. The pressure cooker of the Abu defence smothered their opponents who never looked like breaking out of their territory let alone scoring. Hilary Gibson was monumental and her tackling, rucking and work in the loose was brutally effective. Rachel Proops was like the archetypal Scottish nanny, confidently and calmly admonishing her opposite number for having the audacity to try and run past her. Toa were coughing up ball like a Pez dispenser only for Abu to continually knock the ball on, or themselves be turned over. The scores level at half time meant the pressure was on the ladies from the South and the nerves were beginning to show. Another juddering stop from Hilary Gibson forced a scrum and after some scrappy work in midfield Rachel Proops whipped it out to Kellyanne Davey, who, on the final whistle, broke Toan hearts by striding over the whitewash. Abu should have had the game sown up on the half and won by a hatful but just lacked that final piece of composure.

Final score - Abu Dhabi 14 Dubai Toa 7

Abu Dhabi vs Doha Trojans

After getting past Toa, Abu Dhabi expected an easier run out against the Doha ladies second team, and so it came to pass. The restart was caught by Lucy Jones in midfield who fed Helen Martin running a splintering angle. Without a hand laid on her she eased it into fourth to take it the sixty meters and under the posts. The tries began to come thick and fast as from a scrum Lucy Jones took it blind, got the stiff-arm going to go over in the right hand corner. Estelle Uren’s touchline drop-goal conversion would have impressed the great Jonny Wilkinson himself. A Doha scrum was utterly dismantled by Emma Cox, Rachel Proops and Michelle Jones. Estelle Uren swept the ball blind only to pop an exquisite ball inside to the supporting Lucy Jones. There was time before the half for a superb dummy and step from Helen Martin to run in again from the 22. A strong Abu half elicited a Brucie-esque “Points mean Prizes” from Kellyanne Davey on the sidelines, to general derision.

The second half began with the dominant Abu Dhabi pack riding over the top of yet another Doha scrum, the ball came out to Laura McMahon and a neat interchange put her on the outside, she leaned on the jets to strip the defence and score to open the account for the half. The Doha game was breaking down in the middle partly due to the physicality of the Abu forwards. Emma Cox in particular was putting in some crunching tackles and her mauling and rucking at the breakdown was clinically unforgiving. An Emma Cox turnover came out to Michelle Jones who easily brushed off two tacklers to gallop under the posts. The celebratory cartwheel added the necessary style points. The game finished fittingly with another turnover from a Emma Cox hit, a beautiful double loop in the backs put Michelle Jones over for her brace.

Final score - Abu Dhabi 52 Doha Trojans 0

Abu Dhabi vs Dubai Hurricanes

Topping their pool and only having conceded only one try in three games Abu Dhabi went into the final against their bitter rivals confident but knowing they hadn’t beaten them in their last three outings. With the tempo understandably high AD won an early penalty for a high tackle on Tiffany Allard. From the tap Estelle Uren broke but the move petered out deep in the Hurricanes’ half. Once again the vaunted Abu defence was all over the Hurricanes like fat kids on cake. Rachel Proops turned it over on the wing, the resulting pass hit Kellyanne Davey who handed off to Sorrell Bootham 10m out. An absolute piston handoff of not one but two cover tacklers had the purists in the stands on their feet in admiration, as she went under the posts to open the scoring. More pressure from the kickoff gave the ladies from the Capital the ball as the ‘Canes were caught holding on. Estelle Uren took it quickly and the short pass had Sorrell Bootham bursting over for her second. Both tries were beautifully converted by Estelle Uren meaning the ‘Quins had a two score lead at the end of a half they had utterly dominated.
A big defensive effort was required as the second period began. Who to add the momentum, but the try-scorer who was turning in a massive display in a pressure game. Sorrell Bootham put in two bone jarring hits to start the second period as Abu went to work. The Abu Dhabi defence which had been merciless all day turned up again with particular credit going to Kellyanne Davey and Tiffany Allard who shackled the ‘Canes lethal speed out wide and Rachel Proops who was once again effortlessly dominant. It looked like it was going to be another shutout when the ball broke well for the Hurricanes putting their player down the sidelines. The hunger of the unrelenting AD defense was never more epitomized that by Tiffany Allard and Kellyanne Davey screaming down the wing for the full 50m trying to make the tackle, and in the end pressuring the ‘Canes player to knock-on over the line. The danger wasn’t over though. The Cane’s scrum was dominant all day and another turnover put them over close for the score. The Try was converted and what had looked like a formality was now a few nervous minutes to hold out. The formerly assured defence began to look rattled and possession was given away needlessly. The Hurricanes recycled and a short pass hit their speedster who strolled in under the posts. The collective exhaling of breath when the Referee called it back for a forward pass could be heard in Tehran.

Final score - Abu Dhabi 14 Duabi Hurricanes 7

A huge and totally deserved win by the Abu Dhabi ladies built on fierce commitment and a superb defensive display.

Player of the tournament – Hilary Gibson

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