Camp Hill Chargers second Annual Women and Girl's Rugby Festival was deemed a resounding success as the weather stayed favourable and all four female sections were represented in one unique day of rugby. With stalls, a sizzling BBQ, bouncy castle, samba workshop and face painting available as well as VIPs (including Solihull's Mayor and Mayoress Allport) and our main sponsors for next season, West Midlands Fire Service on show, the stage was most definitely set for a great day out and a great day of rugby.
Camps' junior girls' launched the day with aged bracketed cluster games featuring players and opposition from Stourbridge, Jimmies Angels, Comets, Bournville and Woodrush.
The u15s result, playing as a development side was eventful at 40pts to 27, whilst Jimmies Angels who formed the opposition to an u18 Camps-Woodrush-Comets-Stourbridge cluster team were victorious with a decisive 29-15 win. Camp Hill's junior girls were presented with Club ties as reward for their commitment to rugby in maroon and light blue. Mini and Junior Chairmen Nick Freeman commented: "Presenting Club ties to our girls' u18 and u15 squad members marks a new chapter for Mini & Junior Rugby at Camp Hill…we hope that in the same manner that the Mini & Junior’s have helped male players progress into the Men’s Senior 1XV, this group of junior girls will stay with us at Camp Hill, enjoy their rugby and ultimately progress into the Senior Ladies squad."
After such a bright start it was down to the now nationally recognised Mom's/Social TAG team (...Runners' Up RFU Presidents' XV Recognition Awards: Social Inclusion...) to take to the pitch with a return fixture versus Chaddesley Corbett Ladies. In a rematch that took centre stage Chaddesley were eager to put behind them their loss to Camp Hill's considerably older outfit following their first match-up back in Feb'08. That game went down to the wire (9-7 in favour of Camps) and this was by no means different - tries from Collette Corr, Fiona Hearn, Sasha Burt and Danne Dubois-Gayere all helped with the comeback, but Chaddesley's last hustle stole the win with a fine final effort. A super advert for team-work, competition, fun and fitness - the Mom's/Social team equipped themselves admirably in front of a fantastic crowd.
This left the senior ladies the uneviable task of racking up a first home-side win. Lancastrian side Vale of Lune who were enjoying a results renaissance after an earlier mid-season blip, would prove no push over despite an unattractive opening 20minutes and a referee that continually stalled the flow of the game.
Vale took first blood in a stop-start first half affair, Captain Julie Clegg taking the game by the scruff of the neck with a penalty from 20m out. But Camps' responded admirably, Naomi Hubber off the wing and in for the injured outside centre Hannah Bussey supplying the assist for right winger Sarah Whittaker to race home untouched. With fly-half Kath Adie's conversion drifting away, it was another penalty from Clegg that gave Vale a slender lead just ahead of the interval.
With concise words from Head Coach Reece Spee directing more power to the breakdown the Chargers forwards started to turn the screw. Damaging carries from second rower Michelle Gwynne and prop Laura Murphy in the loose carved a platform for the maroon and light blues' backs to work from, Jo Kilby benefiting from the touch down for her 13th try of the season. Adie's boot had the power but not the accuracy as again the conversion sailed wide.
4pts to the good (10-6) Vale galvanised their efforts - a bout of assured continuity provided an over-lap which was clinically exploited and although Clegg's conversion dropped short the 5pointer was enough to give them back the lead (10-11) and further momentum as Camps' ill-timed ill-disciplaine gave the visitors easy yards and evenutally a push over try from short. Unsurprisingly the contagious conversion-avoidance was maintained.
With the hands of time starting to cause concern, Camps' Chargers dug deep and through the support of their voracious crowd stayed brave and were duly rewarded: Adie, from a Camps' line-out in their own twenty-two (22m) dropped a cross-field kick for Whittaker and Kilby to chase, the ball took an awkward bounce before Vale's fullback and winger recovered and set about countering, a short pop would have seen open space beyond their committed Camps' counter-parts, but for Kilby's fingertips...which plucked the ball from between the two to gallop 60m to score her second of the game (15-16). Adie taking her time and as per the script slotted the extras to send the crowd delirious. The Chargers nursed the final minutes of the game to a close, Captain Becci Lewis orbiting the ball into touch on the referee's last play signal.
"Our last league game of the season, in front of a packed house on Ladies Day…..to win as we did, with the lead changing hands six times was an amazing acheivement" exclaimed Captain Lewis.
With Vale the only team to beat the high-flying Sharks (although Camps came within 3minutes of doing so) Camps double over the former premiership side was as suitable a way of ending the season as any. Solihull and Birmingham's nuber one ranked women's side are now confirmed as finishing third in National Championship One (north) - in their first season of national rugby. They were denied runner's up spot by points difference only!
