Vicky Macqueen praised a young Leicester Tigers backline for “backing themselves” and making a major contribution in Saturday’s Women’s Championship win over West Park Leeds.
Missing the experience of former England ‘A’ cap Natasha Jones as well as Ellie Turner and Molly Draycott who had both started all three previous league games, the Tigers backline scored the first three of the team’s six tries in a 36-0 win over rivals who finished third in the table last season.
There were tries from trio Bryany Chalk, Zoe Evans and Louisa Burgham in a reshaped backline for the trip up the M1, where Holly Williams made a first start and Katie Gregory came in for a club debut from the bench. Scrum-half Morgan Richardson, aged just 19, made her fourth successive start.
“Katie Childs has just turned 23 but she was probably the most experienced out there,” said Macqueen, Tigers’ head of women’s rugby.
“It was a massive shift they put in. They really stood up well to a hard-hitting, mature, experienced, well-drilled West Park side and I was really pleased with the way they managed that.
“We brought in Katie Gregory for her first step up to this team and she fitted in really well.
“They were nervous before the game with some experience missing from the team but they backed themselves on what they could do and they stuck to it. With the level of experience in the team, the performance was very good.”
Tigers were made to work hard against their West Park hosts, pulling away in the scoreboard in the final quarter of the game after leading 12-0 at half-time.
“It was a bit scrappy in the first half but we were better in the second half,” added Macqueen.
“We weren’t worried about having to make changes to the team, we want to see whoever wears the shirt does the job for the team. They know the expectations and if they are picked they are good enough to go out and get that job done.”
Tigers face Loughborough Town Ladies in Round as part of a Mattioli Woods Welford Road double header on Saturday, November 5. Tickets are available now.
