YORKSHIRE 8 LANCASHIRE 50
ARINDAM REJ, Sewell Group Craven Park, Saturday
GRACE BANKS bagged two tries in an impressive performance for Lancashire as they enjoyed a comfortable win over Yorkshire in Women’s Origin.
Her Wigan team-mate Eva Hunter also picked up a brace of tries as Lancashire gave a classy display containing well-worked tries on the way to the 50-point mark.
Banks shone at full-back and in the halves as her team took control in the early stages of the game then looked likely winners throughout. With Jodie Cunningham out for Lancashire after suffering a hamstrung problem in training on Wednesday, her St Helens’ team-mate Emily Rudge also deserved credit for the part she played in filling the void.
The contest gave players a late chance to stake a claim to be picked in the England squad to play Wales in Neath on Saturday August 9 – and there were many who performed well.
Yorkshire had got off to a flying start when current Woman of Steel Georgie Dagger produced a well-judged kick that was pounced on by Phoebe Hook to finish, 70 seconds into the game.
But Lancashire hit back quickly as Hunter made a piercing run and skipped beyond would-be tacklers to score in the left-hand corner. And that blow was the first of three Lancashire tries in quick succession, during an all-action start to the game, as the Red Rose county’s players showed the best possible response to the early set-back.
Anna Davies planted the ball down in the right-hand corner, capitalising on Katie Mottershead’s good work in the build-up, for the second Lancashire try. And the visitors’ momentum continued when Eboni Partington burst forward then offloaded to Banks who evaded Yorkshire’s defence to touch down.
Yorkshire did not cave in, in the aftermath of that flurry of tries, though, creating some spells of pressure, but they fell further behind as half-time approached when Banks spun out a pass for Partington to go down the left flank and escape Tamzin Renouf before finishing. And there was another blow before the interval when Partington charged forward again then teed up Molly Jones to arrow over for a try by the posts.
Caitlin Casey was into the halves in a home team reorganisation as the second half started. But the familiar first-half issue of ill-discipline soon hampered them. Their spirits were lifted though as Casey’s kick caused problems and set up some dangerous field position. That led to a try as Ruby Walker picked out Ebony Stead who surged through a gap and touched down near the right flank.
Lancashire extended their lead again when a sweeping right-to-left move ended in Banks dummying then setting up Rachael Woosey to go over. To make it worse for their opposition, influential Isabel Rowe also added a tricky-looking conversion attempt.
Rowe’s afternoon got even better with a zig-zagging run that led to a try for her, giving the impactful Beri Salihi a straightforward conversion effort to take the score to 40. And there was no respite after that as Banks went on a long-distance dash to add another try.
The 50-mark was reached in the closing stages by Lancashire as Banks delivered for Hunter to go over, then Salihi added the two points.
GAMESTAR: Grace Banks dashed over for two tries of her own and was a key player in other big moments for Lancashire.
GAMEBREAKER: Molly Jones going over for Lancashire just before the break helped them into a 22-point lead going into the interval.
MATCHFACTS
YORKSHIRE
4 Amelia Brown (Huddersfield Giants)
9 Emma Kershaw (York Valkyrie)
2 Evie Cousins (Leeds Rhinos)
3 Tamzin Renouf (York Valkyrie)
5 Phoebe Hook (St Helens)
1 Georgie Dagger (York Valkyrie)
20 Ruby Walker (Leeds Rhinos)
14 Izzy Northrop (Leeds Rhinos)
6 Caitlin Casey (St Helens)
16 Shona Hoyle (St Helens)
12 Lucy Murray (Leeds Rhinos)
7 Savannah Andrade (York Valkyrie)
13 Bella Sykes (Leeds Rhinos)
Subs (all used)
8 Izzy Brennan (York Valkyrie)
17 Liv Wood (York Valkyrie)
21 Ebony Stead (Leeds Rhinos)
22 Ruby Bruce (Leeds Rhinos)
10 Zoe Hornby (York Valkyrie)
23 Mollie Iceton (Huddersfield Giants)
Tries: Hook (2), Stead (55)
Goals: Walker 0/2
LANCASHIRE
1 Grace Banks (Wigan Warriors)
24 Eboni Partington (York Valkyrie)
25 Georgia Wilson (Wigan Warriors)
17 Molly Jones (Wigan Warriors)
5 Anna Davies (Wigan Warriors)
20 Jenna Foubister (Wigan Warriors)
21 Isabel Rowe (Wigan Warriors)
8 Vicky Whitfield (St Helens)
23 Katie Mottershead (St Helens)
10 Darcy Stott (St Helens)
11 Charlotte Melvin (Leigh Leopards)
22 Eva Hunter (Wigan Warriors)
13 Emily Rudge (St Helens)
Subs (all used)
19 Mia Atherton (Wigan Warriors)
4 Rachael Woosey (St Helens)
15 Jade Gregory-Haselden (Wigan Warriors)
7 Luci McColm (St Helens)
2 Beri Salihi (St Helens)
Tries: Hunter (5, 78), Davies (10), Banks (15, 68), Partington (35), Jones (40), Woosey (62), Rowe (67)
Goals: Rowe 4/6, Salihi 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-4, 4-10, 4-16, 4-20, 4-26; 8-26, 8-32, 8-38, 8-44, 8-50
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Players of the Match
Yorkshire: Phoebe Hook; Lancashire: Grace Banks
Penalty count: 0-6
Half-time: 4-26
Referee: Tara Jones