Blackheath 10 v 0 Swindon Supermarine

Blackheath 0 v 21 Waterloo

Blackheath 10 v 5 Campshill

Rugby Union Ladies National Play Offs

BLACKHEATH will be spending another season in the South East first division after finishing second in the four-team round robin play-off.

The Ladies beat Swindon Supermarine from the South West League and Campshill from the Midlands League.

However, defeat to favourites Waterloo of the Northern League keeps Blackheath out of the National Premier Division Two.

Having lost to Swindon in the cup last month, Club needed to put into practice the lessons they had learnt from the defeat.

Gone was the slow start and naivety which had led to Club surrendering a narrow lead in the last minutes of the cup defeat and instead they took the game to Swindon scoring two tries with no replay in the first half.

Scrum-half Mandy Brunet was in inspirational form as she marshalled an aggressive pack which dominated in both set pieces and open play.

The backs impressed with incisive breaks which spread confusion in the Swindon defence with Sarah Wilson at 12 and Lynn Hunn at 13 making an impact.

With play held up a few metres from the line, the forwards mauled the ball over for Claire Revell to score.

Individual tenacity form full back Elaine Jaxon led to the second try as she chased a kick from fly-half Terry Newman and wrestled the fielded ball from the hapless Swindon full back to score in the corner and seal the win.

Against Waterloo, the Blackheath line held firm in the face of wave after wave of attacks.

However, the clean sheet was kept at the expense of Hunn who suffered concussion.

At the start of the second half and Blackheath's Emily Longmore showed why she is a player of the year contender with a formidable display of crunching tackles and text book line-out jumping.

In the end the strength and size of the Waterloo players broke Blackheath's line, with the outside centre crashing through to score under the posts.

With the line broken once, pressure led to more points as Waterloo added two tries and conversions.

Despite the arrival of former England captain Gill Burns for Waterloo there was to be no further scoring.

With the play-offs being held in Birmingham, Club's day finished with a win over Campshill of the Midland League in front of big home support.

Club continued to show why their forwards are recognised as one of the best packs at this level with two rolling mauls producing further tries for Revell in each half.

Centre Sarah Wilson moved to fly-half and kicked Blackheath out of danger and exploited space in attack as the backs played their part in the consolation victory.

Player Rebecca Carlton, who was sidelined with injury, said: "We're disappointed next season will not be in National Premier Division Two.

"But hopes are high women's rugby at Rectory Fields is entering a new phase in its 20-year history and the players are looking forward to the next challenge with confidence."

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