Sing is on song for a double triumph

■By MARK STEVENS

Gloucester-Hartpury…. 36pts Bristol Bears ………………. 24pts

Tries: Hunt 25, Hendy 54, Sing 58, Venner 62, Jones 68

Conversions: Sing 26, 55, 59, 64

Penalties: Sing 79

Tries: Keight 17, Atkin-Davies 32, Botterman 38, Lovibond 75 Conversions: Reed 38, 75

GLOUCESTER-Hartpury head coach Sean Lynn admitted he was ‘over the moon' after his side made it back-to-backk title wins in the Premiership Women's Rugby with victory over Bristol Bears.

Down 17-7 at the break, the Cherry & Whites produced a powerful second half showing to claw their way back into contention and ultimately seal the women's crown in the glorious Devon sunshine.

Emma Sing, the league's top points-scorer, was at the heart of the matter for Lynn's side, claiming a try and adding a further 11 points with her right boot.

However, the Welshman was quick to pay tribute to his whole squad for their seasonal efforts at the final whistle.

“I'm over the moon, I couldn't be more prouder of this squad,” he said. “With the amount of injuries that we've had, I think we've used about 48 players, to go back-toback is amazing.”

But it was Bristol, buoyed by the return to the starting line-up for the first time since January of England international Sarah Bern, who started better.

Together with Hannah Botterman and Lark Atkin-Davies, Bern led the charge for Dave Ward's side, who deservedly took the lead when winger Courtney Keight was able to squeeze over for the game's opening score.

It was no more than the Bears deserved for their fast start, which could have been even better had co-captain Abbie Ward not been held up on the line following a Reneeqa Bonner burst.

Gloucester-Hartpury looked decidedly off the pace, somewhat nervous and certainly ill-disciplined as the Bears looked to ravage them with their expansive, all-court game.

A rare counter from the holders saw Bethan Lewis send Natasha ‘Mo' Hunt in for Gloucester's opening try on 25 minutes but the Bears continued to prowl ominously in all areas.

Botterman was the stand-out figure, closely followed by Bern and Atkin-Davis, who restored their slender lead when she stole over from a close-range maul.

A third try, this time from Botterman, on the stroke of half time stretched their lead to ten points and put them in pole position.

Whatever Lynn said during his half-time pep talk, it clearly had the desired effect. Not only were Gloucester-Hartpury much improved but their togetherness and physicality were evident.

Lewis saw an early response chalked off on the intervention of the TMO for a brilliant saving tackle from Bristol's Meryl Smith, but the let-off was only momentary as the champions cranked up the gears to deadly effect.

Pip Hendy grabbed their second of the contest, finishing off a slick move that has been started from No.8 Zoe Aldcroft picking up from the base of a scrum. Then, Sing got in on the try-scoring act, finishing off a slick move that had exposed the Bristol back division out wide.

Another score, their third in the space of eight minutes, this time through Mia Venner edged them further in front, before Hannah Jones snuck over on the blindside to put her side firmly in command of proceedings.

To their credit, the Bears never gave up, their efforts rewarded late on when replacement Ella Lovibond crossed for a converted score.

It was a little too late and it was left to Sing to hammer the final nail into the Bristol coffin with a late penalty.

Kneesy does it: Hannah Jones scores Gloucester-Hartpury's fifth

PICS: Getty Images

In tune: Emma Sing celebrates Gloucester-Hartpury's third try