Kendal Wasps 0 (0) v (38) 57 Sheffield.

The Wasps long unbeaten home record came to an end, against a Sheffield team who have only lost once in two seasons (to last season’s Champions Sale).

It was always going to be a tough game, against one of only two teams to have beaten the Wasps this season, but with five key players out, after their game at Southport last weekend, including three wings, it became even more difficult. However even with a full team the excellent Sheffield team would have been very hard to contain.

Tamar Benson who had missed last week’s game was back, but Kate Birchall; Lorne Mellonie and Clare Geldard were all out having failed HIA (Head Impact Assessments) whilst Sarah Wilkinson and Sophie Postlethwaite had also picked up injuries, last weekend.

Sheffield made a perfect started scoring a converted try after just a minute, and despite some typically solid Wasps defence, with Tamar Benson making a number of big tackles, Sheffield ran in a second try after ten minutes. 0v14

After quarter of an hour the Wasps lost No.8 Suzie Winter with an injury.

The Sheffield players were regularly getting the ball away in the tackle, and always seemed to have players in support to take the move on, whilst the Wasps were rarely able to get hands on the ball.

Sheffield ran in three more converted tries before half time, with their inside centre getting two with some excellent running. 0v38

To add to the Wasps injury list they lost scrum half Sioned Jones late in the half. Whilst they already had a replacement on the field as Emma Lifshitz was on the wing, this meant a further re-jig of the backline, as they had also lost fullback Ellie Dixon, although she was later able to return. So a number of players who normally play in the pack, found themselves in the backline.

In the second half Sheffield add three more tries, two converted 0v57

Late on Kendal the Wasps rallied and looked for a score, with Emma Lifshitz and Siobhan Lamb, frequently making ground, but the Sheffield defence was a strong as their attack, and the Wasps were unable to get the score.

As their record suggests, Sheffield looked a really well organised team both in attack and defence, and clearly are a different class to the rest of the League. Despite the scoreline the Wasps gave their normal committed display in defence, but with a solid defence and a number of new players, often playing out of position, had problems making an impact in attack.

Next weekend the Wasps play a re-arranged game away at Birkenhead Park, but the concern will be the fitness of so many of those who have picked up injuries in recent games.

TEAM