#RU5 Wasps vs Bristol Bears Women -18-1-20

RUGBY UNCOVERED PODCAST, W/E JANUARY 18TH, 19TH, 2020

Welcome to Rugby Uncovered. I'm Tom Nash, we were at Twyford Avenue on Saturday January the eighteenth for Wasps Ladies' mid-table Tyrrells Premier 15s fixture against visitors Bristol Bears Women.

At 22-15 to Wasps Ladies after just over twenty minutes, this excellent match, which has been neck-and-neck between the league's fifth- and seventh-place teams, looked as if it was going to be one of the highest-scoring fixtures of the day.

At this point the free-flowing, expansive running game exhibited by both teams changed, as Bristol Bears Women's backs were pressed and denied space by an increasingly-disciplined Wasps Ladies outfit, the two teams going into half time with Wasps Ladies 22-15 up.

That denying of space to Bristol's three-quarters line characterised the majority of the second half, in which the strictness and discipline applied by the French referee, recently arrived in England for January, February, March's Women's Six-Nations, was mirrored by both teams, notably Wasps.

In terms of strength and conditioning, the quality of the two sides was similar, but Wasps Ladies were able to restrict the momentum and flow that Bristol Bears had applied for the first twenty minutes, to the extent that, after a disallowed try with two minutes remaining, the visitors' only second-half points were scored after seventy nine minutes, when they went over for a consolation try, to make the final score 34-20 to the hosts.

Elsewhere in the Tyrrells Premier 15s,

Harlequins Women 60 - 0 DMPS

Worcester Warriors Women 26 - 48 Saracens Wasps Ladies 34 - 20 Bristol Bears Women

Firwood Watrloo Ladies 5 - 74 Lboro Lghtning

Richmond Women 0 - 20 Glcstr-Hrtpry Womn

The next Tyrrells Premier 15s match is Richmond Women's home game against Saracens Women on February 15th, postponed from the week before Christmas, Rugby Uncovered will be there, providing our usual Twitter- and YouTube photo analysis, player, coach and supporter interviews.

During the Women's Six-Nations tournament, Rugby Uncovered will be talking about the women's game to all involved at a variety of levels. Join us again soon for those and thanks for listening.