Kildunne hat-trick sparks Harlequins
HARLEQUINS Women made it two wins out of two with a bonuspoint victory over Warriors Women at Sixways.
England star Ellie Kildunne scored a hat-trick of tries to underline her credentials for selection in Simon Middleton’s Red Roses squad for the upcoming autumn internationals.
Heather Cowell, Bethan Dainton, and braces from Amy Cokayne and Lauren Brooks secured maximum points for the visitors, who were only 21-17 up at the break.
Despite Quins coming out of the blocks in emphatic fashion with two tries in the opening seven minutes courtesy of wings Cowell and Kildunne, Warriors showed tremendous character to hit back with scores from USA secondrow Alycia Washington and Carys Phillips.
On 35 minutes Dainton extended Quins’ advantage, finishing off a sweeping attack involving Ellie Green and centre Lagi Tuima. With half-time looming, Warriors chalked up a try of the season contender – the impressive
Carys Cox supporting an explosive Cat McNaney break to score under the posts. Vicky Foxwell added the extras.
Quins came out for the second period all guns blazing and crossed the whitewash within two minutes through Brooks.
A minute later Cokayne registered the first of her two tries, the hooker burrowing over from a driving lineout.
Her second came a minute later as she fended off a series o tacklers to dot down under the sticks. Brooks bagged her second
try just past the hour mark, with Tuima converting to make it 47-17 to the visitors.
Ella Amory squeezed in at the corner to push Quins past the 50-point mark and Kildunne grabbed her second.
Jemima Moss scored her first Warriors try to secure a deserved bonus-point, however, back came the Londoners with Kildunne sealing her hat-trick.
Warriors had the last word, with summer recruit Ffion Lewis dashing from the base of a ruck to touch down.