Try-Fest In The Sun

EIGHT tries and a real power show from GLR in the sun at Footes Lane has guaranteed them at least solid a third place finish in South East West One.
It could, of course, get better yet if they can come up with two more big wins in the closing weeks, but London Welsh have made that an unlikely scenario after a crushing win at Reading takes them closer to the runner-up spot.
This performance highlighted just how far GLR have come in a decade.
The team passed the ball around with aplomb, tackled like tigers and had pace in crucial areas.
Havant arrived confident of avenging the loss back in Hampshire. They had, after all, recently beaten London Welsh.

Four minutes in Carly Duchemin was fed on her wing just short of halfway and turning on the afterburners she sped away to touch down next to the posts giving stand-in kicker Aimee Le Bachelet the best chance to convert, which she did.
Four minutes later it was Le Bachelet’s turn to score, capitalising on a trademark power burst by Tanya Scholtz who sprinted 50 yards before being hauled down just short, but had the wits about her to offload to a grateful winger.
The kick from wide proved too testing for Le Bachelet, but a 12-0 lead inside 10 minutes was just the start GLR had hoped for.
Sadly, scrum half Lucy Pratt had been injured in the buildup and departed the action and there were soon concerns, too, for Le Bachelet, who had the wind taken out of her in bringing off a terrific tackle.
Thankfully, she was soon up and about again with Pratt’s return not far away either and on 26min. a brilliant break by Laura Sweeney set up Duchemin for another score under the posts.
Le Bachelet converted and GLR were 19-0 up.
Two minutes later Scholtz produced a similar power-burst and raced away from 30m out to score a bonus point clinching fourth try and set up Le Bachelet for her hat-trick of conversions and a 26-0 lead.
In stoppage time Scholtz grabbed try number five and Le Bachelet converted again, before Havant centre Pearson scored a converted first half try in approximately 10 minutes added on.
Early in the second Jessica Melville added a sixth try for the home side, again converted for a 40-7 lead.
Pratt and Melville then added the cherries on the cake with two runaway tries late on which Le Bachelet kicked for a final 54-7 scoreline.
It could have been even better had the match official, not ruled a forward pass which scrubbed out a superb move which had ended with Duchemin again racing half the length of the picture to touchdown.
Up in the stand coach Steve Evans must have purred with delight at the quality of the performance all round.
And close to him, sidelined regular first teamers such as Jemma Crouse, Chelsea Blondel and Fi Ashworth, looked suitably impressed too.
Considering their collective talent is temporarily unavailable, the Havant result underlined how far the team has come in recent years, adding untold depth.

TEAM:
Andrea Harris, Daisy Travers, Laura Sweeney, Kristine Vavere, Ellie Whittles, Fiona Power, Tanya Scholtz, Jessica Melville, Lucy Pratt, Justeen Baker, Aimee Le Bachelet, Hannah Guilbert, Sophie Ferbrache, Carly Duchemin, Lael Hollingworth.
Replacements: Jillian Smith, Megan Irven, Janelly Le Maitre, Emma Rayson, Charly Alston.