Harlequins vs Trailfinders Women

Trailfinders Women defeated Harlequins Women 42-31 in the Allianz Cup 7th Place Playoff to secure their first-ever win in a London derby.

A brace from Rowena Burnfield and tries from Vicky Laflin, Abi Burton and Liz Musgrove, along with 17 points off the boot of Ellie Green, secured 7th for Trailfinders over their West-London rivals.

This concludes the 23/24 Allianz Cup campaign, with Trailfinders hosting Exeter in the Allianz PWR next up.

The game began at break-neck speed, with Quins conceding consecutive penalties at the breakdown. This gave Trailfinders the ball deep in the hosts’ red zone, and Burnfield converted the opportunity from the pick-and-go.

The pace of the match continued. Laflin made a break down the left wing, forcing Quins out of their defensive organisation. As a result, they were pinged for offside. This gave Green her first penalty kick of the game, taking the score to 10-0 in as many minutes.

Laflin continued to exert herself on the occasion in the following play. Liz Musgrove pounced on turnover ball and broke through the Quins line, finding the new England call-up, who scored from 40 metres out.

Quins then answered back with a try of their own through Rosie Dobson.

The hooker’s score was somewhat of a catalyst for the home side’s fight back, as they scored again through Aseza Hele.

However, Trailfinders had the final act of the first half, as Burnfield dotted down at the back of a thunderous scrum to make the score 24-14 at the break.

The second term started even faster than the first. Quins kicked a Trailfinders kick-off back to the travellers and right down the throat of Laflin, who produced an extraordinary mazy run through the on-coming Harlequins defence only to be dragged down inches from the whitewash. Burton capitalised on Laflin’s break, diving over from short range to score.

It then went from bad to worse for the hosts as Emily Scott was yellow carded for a high tackle on Burton, giving Green the chance to convert another shot at goal.

Musgrove then made Quins pay for the yellow card, as Ella Amory recognised a poor kick chase and found the Scottish winger in acres down the left wing to go over the whitewash.

A final Green penalty followed, leaving the final score 42-31 to Trailfinders, who took the bragging rights home to their part of West London.

Congratulations to Ellie Green who was our Arnold Hill Player of the Match.