Macdonald provides sting in the tail to help Wasps over the line

Wasps recovered from a 10-5 half-time deficit to edge past Bristol Bears 18-10 in the Tyrrells Premier 15s.

Replacement Claudia Macdonald proved the match winner for Wasps, finding a gap in Bristol’s defence with three minutes left and racing away. Lizzie Goulden added the extra points.

Bristol tried a last roll of the dice with Lucy Attwood’s slick run taking them into the 22, but Wasps’ defence stayed resolute.

“Huge game today that was contested from minute one to minute 80. Enormously proud of the girls for their performance and four valuable points gained on the

road,” Giselle Mather, Wasps’ director of rugby, posted on Twitter as the club stayed third in the table.

Gloucester-hartpury responded to their defeat by Harlequins last weekend with a scrappy, 31-12 win over third-from-bottom Richmond. England wing Kelly Smith crossed twice before the break, while Elle Febrey’s try on 55 minutes secured a bonus point.

Gloucester head coach Susie Appleby was far from happy with her side’s performance. “I don’t think we brought the fight and dog that we needed to bring. But we’ll look at that next week and we’ll go again,” she said. Loughborough Lightning collected their second win of the campaign, and biggest, as they thrashed Waterloo Ladies 91-10.

Rhona Lloyd, back in the side following a two-match tour of South Africa with Scotland, opened the scoring in the first minute for the university franchise.

Lloyd, who is studying for a masters in biomechanics, added another four tries as Lightning moved up to fifth place.

Harlequins maintained their 100 per cent start with a fourth straight win, a 50-21 triumph at DMP Sharks.

Shaunagh Brown scored her fifth and sixth tries of the season. The visitors ran in eight, including a solo effort from Heather Cowell.

Saracens stay toe to toe with Quins at the top following a fourth successive victory. Last year’s champions overwhelmed bottom-placed

Worcester Warriors 55-3 at home yesterday.