Malta Ladies no pushovers for British University champions
Malta Ladies 0Cardiff University 22\nMalta Ladies gave Cardiff University, the reigning British University champions, a severe test at Marsa last weekend. Although the Welsh side enjoyed territorial advantage they only managed to score two tries in...
Malta Ladies 0
Cardiff University 22
\nMalta Ladies gave Cardiff University, the reigning British University champions, a severe test at Marsa last weekend.
Although the Welsh side enjoyed territorial advantage they only managed to score two tries in each half and convert one.
The Maltese have shown great progress since their match against Hamburg. They tackled with commendable ferocity which clearly dismayed Cardiff.
Unfortunately, one or two hotheads on the Cardiff side responded badly and scrum half Mia Brunner was soon cooling herself in the sin bin for ten minutes.
Cardiff, obviously, had some fine running talent in their backs but the robust marking of Malta held them well in check. Injury soon reduced Malta to playing with only 14 and it is to their great credit that, playing without a full-back, they kept the Welsh side at bay. The Cardiff tries all came after elementary errors in passing created holes in defence.
Several of the Malta girls, such as Charlene Vassallo, made penetrating runs which were only stopped by magnificent tackles from Cardiff. However, attacking inexperience showed because there was no pattern of support to offload in the tackle.
Just before the end of the match, Cardiff's Brunner was inevitably sent off with a red card after yet another bout of bad sportsmanship.
On their way to the championship, Cardiff had beaten most other universities by much bigger margins, so the Maltese girls can take courage from their performance in only their third ever 15-a-side game.
Veterans competition
The round robin veterans competition between Leicester Forest, Tetbury and Malta Marauders ended in a three-way tie, each side winning one match and losing another.
Leicester Forest beat Tetbury 30-29 and the Marauders downed Leicester Forest 29-20. Tetbury finally beat an exhausted Marauders side, many of whom had also been playing in the Sevens tournament.
Tetbury had stretched the rules and played some young and very fast backs instead of the over 35-year-olds who qualify for this type of match.
Still a good time was had by all after the games were over.
Meanwhile, five British clubs and one Cypriot team will play against two local sides in the International Clubs Tournament at Marsa this weekend.