Trailfinders Women kicked off the 2024/25 season in fine fashion, beating Harlequins Women 40-33 at TFSC on Sunday (8 September 2024).
Tries from Cristina Blanco, Grace White, Sara Seye, Emma Taylor, Kat Evans and Liz Musgrove sealed the victory for Trailfinders over their London rivals.
The win is the first of the two-game PWR Up series, which will take Trailfinders to The StoneX to face Saracens on 21 September 2024.
The visitors started the brighter of the two sides. Harlequins had almost all of the ball in the first 10 minutes but could not convert the pressure into points.
That is until Maja Meuller crashed over the line, taxi’d in by the Quins rolling maul.
The score sparked the hosts into life. Vicky Laflin broke down the left wing, and after being brought down, the visitors infringed at the breakdown, meaning Ella Amory could kick the hosts into the opposition’s 22.
From the lineout, Blanco scored Trailfinders’ first try of the season, levelling the scores with Taylor’s conversion.
The hosts then struck again quickly after. Again a rolling maul, but featuring unusual personnel, as Grace White took the ball and dove over from short range.
The ding-dong battle continued with Quins answering right back through Freya Aucken, who sniped round the ruck to score on her debut for the West London club.
Harlequins kept pushing and took the lead back through Izzy Hannay, who latched onto a Clàudia Peña offload.
However, heading into the half-time break, Trailfinders took back the momentum, making several line breaks but failing to convert, until some composed pick and gos gave Seye the opportunity to crash over the line.
Half-time: Trailfinders 21-19 Harlequins
Despite ending the first well, Trailfinders started the second slowly as Peña scored after breaking through on a short line.
The visitors continued pushing and widened their lead to 12 points as Nicola Haynes scored from the back of another Quins rolling maul.
Following the theme of the game, Trailfinders answered right back just three minutes later as Taylor scored on her debut by latching onto a Brooke Bradley rifled pass from the base.
Then Evans brought the score level at 33 each. The Welsh hooker crashed over after peeling off a maul to score on debut.
Musgrove then sealed it with eight minutes to play. The Scottish flyer broke down the left wing and turned on the burners, streaking away from the chasing Quins defence.
Full Time: Trailfinders 40-33 Harlequins
Trailfinders Women:
Tries – Cristina Blanco 17, Grace White 23, Sara Seye 39, Emma Taylor 59, Kat Evans 68, Liz Musgrove 72
Conversions – Taylor 17, 23, 39, 68, 72
Harlequins Women
Tries – Maja Meuller 12, Freya Aucken 30, Izzy Hannay 34, Clàudia Peña 44, Nicola Haynes 56
Conversions – Ella Cromack 12, 30, 44, 56
