Giants Women vs Warrington Wolves | Match Report

Huddersfield Giants Women put up a dominant display against Warrington Wolves, nilling them 36-0 at Laund Hill.

TEAM NEWS

Lori Halloran handed a debut to former Leeds Rhino and Wales Rugby Union international Eloise Hayward, who came off the interchange bench to claim her heritage number 106. Ruby Tyson played against Barrow last week, though her call-up to the England DiSE squad left her unavailable for this clash. Allana Waller filled in for Hannah Goddard on the wing, with Hayward rotating for Becky Grady.

FIRST HALF

From the kick-off, both sides completed their first two sets, before a knock-on from Warrington just 20 off their own line handed the Giants great field position. 

Sam Hulme shifted a wild ball wide to Mollie Iceton but was intercepted before the target by Albany Coates to stop an otherwise certain try. Allana Waller looked as if she was in on the right edge following Frankie Townend’s kick in the 10th minute though the touch judge ruled otherwise.

A high shot on Sammi Simpson as an attempt to stop the forward from crashing under the sticks saw another Wire penalty, but the Claret wall refused to break down through the consecutive barrages. Anna Dennis saw a chance on her right but Ana Da Silva quickly shut down that channel.

Brown eventually broke the deadlock, a sprint from the halfway line to rip open the depleted Wire right edge. The Claret fullback shrugged off her opposite number to touch down 10 out from touch. Ellie Thompson’s kick fell wide of the left post.

The Giants were back on the board almost immediately from the restart. Brown had the ball ripped from the tackle which rewarded them with a penalty to the opposition 40m. Da Silva and Thompson made strong, metre-making carries upfield. Moving the ball right, Townend‘s offload found an unmarked Lois Naidole who breezed past Nicole Barnett and Abi Johnston. The conversion attempt cut across the face of the posts.

Kicking from her own half, Hulme launched it deep into the Warrington territory which was gathered shy of the line before the Wire knocked on. From the scrum Hulme ran from the middle out wide, slipping through the defence to score. Another wide kick from Thompson left it unconverted with the score 12-0.

Huddersfield enforced the Goal Line Drop Out which they would soon score off once more via Naidole. Attacking down the middle for the first few plays, the ball was carved out wide to the right edge where the Wolves were caught unattentive. Thompson’s kick was the final action of the half with the Giants heading back to the dressing rooms in good spirits.

SECOND HALF

Both sides traded scrums in the first few plays after the break, but the Giants were the first to snap back into gear. Off a 20-metre restart, Lois Naidole ripped through the Wolves’ left - despite the hair pull - to the halfway point before passing inside to the charging Brown, touching down right of the posts. Thompson converted with that being the last from her kicking tee.

Townend was the next to put her name amongst the try scorers with a try in a similar style to Paige Webster’s against Featherstone. The Wolves didn’t act quick enough upon noticing the approaching stand-off letting her crash through without threat. With the try score close to the posts it was an easy kick for Townend to make.

Brown rounding off her hat-trick was the final nail in the coffin for the Wolves, who had shown no real signs of a response barring Helena Turner’s barge under the sticks - held up by the Giants. Townend was the assister in Amelia’s try with a cut-out pass from the back to deceive the Wire. Frankie’s kick rounded off the points-scoring action, putting the Giants 36-0.

The win secured 6th in the Betfred Women’s Super League table.

HT: 18-0 | RESULT: 36-0

TRIES: Brown (3), Naidole (2), Hulme, Townend.

GOALS: Townend (2/2), Thompson (2/5)

Giants Women: Amelia Brown, Mollie Iceton, Ana Da Silva, Lois Naidole, Allana Waller, Frankie Townend, Sam Hulme, Emma Wilkinson, Meg Preston, Jess Harrap, Ellie Thompson, Kacy Haley, Bethan Oates.

Subs: Amy Bennett, Georgia Hampshaw, Gracie Hobbs, Eloise Hayward (debut).

18th: Hannah Goddard.