Sun 8 Feb 2026
It was a tough, hard-fought contest from the outset, with much of the early play taking place deep inside our own 22. Portsmouth had an early opportunity to put points on the board but missed a penalty, allowing us to stay level and build momentum.
A fantastic run from Mollie Mayhew helped relieve pressure and shift the game upfield, and from there our dominant scrum began to take control. A penalty from Millie Gibbs rewarded the forward effort and opened the scoring.
Defensively, Andi Clough produced a crucial steal at the breakdown, setting the tone for a strong turnover performance. That pressure paid off when Grace Cripps crossed for a try, though the conversion narrowly missed.
Portsmouth responded with a try of their own, again unconverted, keeping the contest tight. Outstanding turnover work from Mollie Mayhew and Laura Mason kept us competitive in the contact area.
Sustained forward pressure followed, with three well-executed pick-and-go phases before Millie Gibbs finished superbly. She added the conversion herself to extend the lead going into half time.
We started the second half strongly. A clever switch of direction from pick-and-go play created space for Mollie to score, with the conversion added. A great break straight from the kick-off kept the momentum firmly with us.
Portsmouth continued to battle and crossed for another try, but the response was immediate. A whole-team effort in attack created space out wide for Leah Sullivan to finish, although the conversion was missed.
The game became a back-and-forth battle, growing increasingly physical as both sides pushed for control. The highlight came when Leah Sullivan broke from halfway to score a brilliant individual try, with Millie adding the extras.
Portsmouth had the final say with a converted try late on, but the result had already been decided after an intense and feisty encounter from both teams.
A strong team performance, built on some brilliant scrummaging, relentless work at the breakdown, and some outstanding individual and team efforts, secured a well-earned victory.
A fantastic run from Mollie Mayhew helped relieve pressure and shift the game upfield, and from there our dominant scrum began to take control. A penalty from Millie Gibbs rewarded the forward effort and opened the scoring.
Defensively, Andi Clough produced a crucial steal at the breakdown, setting the tone for a strong turnover performance. That pressure paid off when Grace Cripps crossed for a try, though the conversion narrowly missed.
Portsmouth responded with a try of their own, again unconverted, keeping the contest tight. Outstanding turnover work from Mollie Mayhew and Laura Mason kept us competitive in the contact area.
Sustained forward pressure followed, with three well-executed pick-and-go phases before Millie Gibbs finished superbly. She added the conversion herself to extend the lead going into half time.
We started the second half strongly. A clever switch of direction from pick-and-go play created space for Mollie to score, with the conversion added. A great break straight from the kick-off kept the momentum firmly with us.
Portsmouth continued to battle and crossed for another try, but the response was immediate. A whole-team effort in attack created space out wide for Leah Sullivan to finish, although the conversion was missed.
The game became a back-and-forth battle, growing increasingly physical as both sides pushed for control. The highlight came when Leah Sullivan broke from halfway to score a brilliant individual try, with Millie adding the extras.
Portsmouth had the final say with a converted try late on, but the result had already been decided after an intense and feisty encounter from both teams.
A strong team performance, built on some brilliant scrummaging, relentless work at the breakdown, and some outstanding individual and team efforts, secured a well-earned victory.
