THURROCK’s women came out second best in their Senior Cup clash at the weekend. They took on Premiership side Wasps and came a close second. The Senior Cup is a new concept in women’s rugby which attempts to provide games while the Elite England players prepare for next year’s World Cup.

The competition consists of the eight Premiership sides and the top four teams from each of the Championship North and South League.

All teams play without their England Squad players. Having won seven out of seven league games in Championship South, the Thurrock T-Birds were looking forward to competition against a Premiership outfit.

But with both sides fielding players in unfamiliar positions, the game was played with a little less structure than usual.

And at times play became very scrappy.

Thurrock shaded possession and territory for much of the first half.

The borough dominated the scrum and the lineout, but with the referee allowing Wasps to kill the ball repeatedly at the breakdown, it proved difficult for T-Birds to get make much forward progress.

Wasps managed the referee much better and although they only visited the Thurrock 22 four times in the first half, they scored on three occasions.

Two converted tries and a penalty in the last 20 minutes of the half left T’s trailing 17-0 at the break.

Thurrock came out for the second half fired up.

They were looking for a score, but Wasps defended well and when the referee impeded Thurrock’s number nine Cook, causing a dropped pass, they took full advantage and put the game beyond doubt with another converted try.

In the last quarter, India Harvey set off on a solo effort.

She evaded three defenders, took another across the line with her to get Thurrock on the scoreboard. But the try could not be converted and the scoreline was 24-5.

Buoyed up, Thurrock again stepped up the pace and the referee finally took action by yellow carding the Wasps number seven for killing the ball.

Revelling in the space and now getting quick ball from the ruck, Emerson – wearing the number 10 shirt instead of her usual 15 – cut back against the grain of the defence to score under the posts. Cook claimed the extras and the scoreline moved to a more respectable 24-12.

Completely focussed on attack and another score, Ts allowed their defence to fragment.

With T-Birds captain Mercedes Foy on the ground receiving treatment, Wasps took full advantage and forward passed to get the ball through the hands and touch down to make the score 31-12.

With the game beyond reach, T’s still fought for honour. Foy won the ball straight from the restart, and with Francis and Harvey attacking Cook scampered over in the corner to make the final scoreline 31-17.

Team: Pinkham, Francis, Harris, Jordan, Harvey (T), Emerson (T), Cook (T,C), Convoy, Foy (Capt) Micallef, Nichols, Wheeler, Beard, Jordan, Phelps Players of the match: Georgie Cook and India Harvey.

The next home fixture at Oakfield against Richmond Seconds takes place on Sunday, November 17 at 2pm.

To take part in T-Birds training just turn up at Oakfield on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm.