Kildunne cameo swings the game

THE sides went at it hammer and tongs at Kingsholm with Susie Appleby’s side taking their biggest scalp of the season with a thrilling win.

Harlequins were quickly into their stride and went into a half-time lead after two tries from back row Shaunagh Brown. Gloucester-Hartpury responded with a penalty from MaryAnn Gittings. Centre Rachel Lund was looking dangerous with ball in hand and made key breaks leading to tries for Bianca Blackburn and Tatyana Heard to make the halftime score 13-19.

The game really swung at half-time when Gloucester-Hartpury introduced Ellie Kildunne to the action. England team-mate Kelly Smith was first to score, but Kildunne then scored two sensational solo scores in three minutes.

Sasha Acheson then powered over from close range and the game had turned on its head with the home side leading 37-19.

But Quins were far from done and good offloading and patient build-up play created two close range scores to narrow the gap to 37-29. Rachel Lund was then sin-binned for Gloucester-Hartpury and Harlequins took full advantage with a try under the posts to make it a one point game.

It was now all Quins and Gloucester-Hartpury had to defend for their lives but broke from deep to earn a penalty for Ellie Underwood to extend the lead crucially to 40-36, an advantage they hung on to.