Hartpury make it back-to-back titles with impressive victory

Hartpury University……………………….45

Tries: Scott 2, Kibble 15, 60; Dale 25, Brock 55, Else 70, Bell 79

Conversions: Manns 16, 56, 61, 71, 79

Exeter University……………………………12

Tries: Boocock 31, Dodds 67

Conversions: Cunningham 32

Hartpury ran in seven tries to defeat Exeter and retain the Women’s BUCS Championship and complete a league and cup double.

A hugely impressive Hartpury side showed their intent from the start, and after Lucia Scott finished a flowing move in the corner, Hannah Kibble broke from a maul to give the Gloucester-linked university a 12-0 after a quarter of an hour.

Tries exchanged at mauls from Amy Dale for Hartpury and Maddy Boocock left the score relatively close at 17-7 at half-time, but Georgia Brock’s score after a Hartpury turnover in Exeter’s 22 and Kibble’s second after sustained pressure all but sealed the win for the reigning champions heading into the final quarter.

Exeter showed the spirit that has seen them go from relegation in 2019/20 to a BUCS final as 13-players drover over from 20 metres out and Lottie Dodds finished off from a maul, but Hartpury went through the phases again before Steph Else added a sixth heading into the final ten minutes.

And Hartpury got the final word with arguably the pick of the tries scored by Gemma Bell, with Charlie Mai Manns capping an impressive showing off the tee with her fifth and last conversion.

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