Sisilia strikes twice in bonus-point success
» GLOUCESTER-HARTPURY took a 36-10 bonus-point win from their short Allianz Premier 15s trip to face Worcester Warriors.
The Cherry and Whites came out firing and crossed with three minutes on the clock when Sisilia Tuipulotu broke, and the back line worked the ball to Rachel Lund, who fended her marker and powered over for the first points.
Gloucester-hartpury continued to apply the pressure up front and got their second when Emma Sing was given a clear run in after several phases in the Warriors 22.
But the hosts responded at the other end moments later with a carbon copy of Sing’s score when Paige Farries cantered over from five metres out.
World Rugby Player of the Year Zoe
Aldcroft then crossed for a brace in the space of six minutes as Gloucester-hartpury wrapped up the bonus point and opened up a 19-point gap.
Jo Brown darted over from a wellworked lineout set-piece with half an hour on the clock to give Warriors a glimmer of hope as the visitors took a 24-10 lead into the break.
Two minutes after the restart, Tuipulotu muscled over from a lineout and crossed for a second five minutes later following a quickly-taken tap penalty, as Gloucester-hartpury stretched their lead to 26 points.
Despite some sparkling moments of individual skill, not least from Cat Mcnaney and Alycia Washington, the game fizzled out in the final quarter, as Gloucester-hartpury held out to secure a convincing win at Sixways and keep the pressure up on the top four in the league.
» GLOUCESTER’S Under-18s fell to a 41-17 defeat to London Irish in the opening round of the Academy League season.
The young Cherry and White side scored three tries through Fred Ma’a, Henry Pearson and Will Gilderson with Keillen Cullen adding a conversion.
They are back in action today (Thursday) when they take on Bristol at Dings Crusaders RFC.
Head coach Matt Teague said: “We came up short against a very physical London Irish who took their chances very well.
“Inaccuracies and not coming away with points in key areas of the pitch, despite a large amount of possession ultimately cost us.”