HAVERFORDWEST Ladies RFC got their season back on track with a convincing 53-0 win over Old Penarthians at Pembroke Road on Sunday, 10 April.
Cancellations meant this was only their second game of 2022, but there were few signs of rust from Jeff Clout’s side.
There were two tries from player of the match Ella Sturley who was unstoppable in the centre, while versatile flanker Menna Pugh-Jones also crossed twice.
Emily Carrington was as industrious as ever in the breakdown, and got her just rewards with a turnover and try, as did Jana Neumann who latched on to a chip from scrum-half Emma Summons to go crashing over under the posts.
Mena Williams also impressed on her first senior game, scoring a try with her first touch after the ball was shipped out wide.
Maria Phillips was one of the returning “older faces” in the side, but proved her eye for the try line was as sharp as ever, picking up off the back of the scrum to cross on the blindside.
The eldest face of all, Ceri Coleman-Phillips, rounded off the day’s scoring after scooping up a loose ball and powering over.
Fly-half Elin Williams added four successful conversions to the points haul.
As well as the result, Haverfordwest can be encouraged with the performances of Becky Osborne, Mena Williams, Nicole Morrisey, Maria Smith-Fernandez, Beth Phillips and Rachel Barton who were all playing their first senior game for the club.
It has been quite the turnaround for the lady blues who at the start of the year were at risk of folding due to a lack of numbers, but for the second fixture running they were able to field a full matchday 23.
The day was rounded off with a presentation of an international shirt from current Wales wing Lisa Neumann, a former player of Haverfordwest.
Lisa is one of the 12 Wales players who turned fully-professional at the start of the year and the club was delighted to welcome her home.
Haverfordwest Ladies: Rhian Swift; Tati Richards, Lilly Arnold, Ella Sturley, Mena Williams; Elin Williams, Emma Summons (capt); Kate Allen, Becky Osborne, Sarah Lawrence, Jana Neumann, Christine Selby, Branwen Vaughan, Menna Pugh-Jones, Emily Carrington.
Replacements: Maria Phillips, Rachel Barton, Maria Smith-Fernandez, Ceri Coleman-Phillips, Ali Hopson-Griffiths, Bethan Phillips, Nicole Morrisey.
