Edinburgh Women - 2023/4 Celtic Challenge

[andthefoxsays]

Full time result Edinburgh 35-21 Clovers.

Tries from Poolman, Whitehouse, Orr, Denholm and Thomson sealed a fantastic comeback win.

The victory means we finish 2nd in the regular season games with 4 bonus point wins and 1 defeat.

Our reward is a place in the top 3, and after the split we will have another home game v Wolfhounds on 17 Feb and play Clovers again - weirdly, in Wales!

[andthefoxsays]

With the season now over, I thought I’d give a bit of a round-up.

It’s been great fun following Edinburgh in the Celtic Challenge this year. With a new team, new players and new opposition, fans had no idea how it would go. Results have been great, with only 1 loss in 7 leading to a 2nd placed finish.

Ireland’s Wolfhounds deservedly won the competition. We enjoyed two great tussles with them. It’s a rivalry with potential to grow in future – especially if the competition expands to a home-and-away format.

Even better has been the way this group of players came together, in no time at all, and became a real team. The use of SRU ‘transitional’ players proved a great move, and local players have thrived. There have been good crowds at all the home matches, too.

It’s great to see Edinburgh players included in Scotland’s extended 6 Nations training squad. Midfield rapier Emma Orr was a clear stand out, scoring 5 in 5. Flankers Alex Stewart and Merryn Gunderson were a revelation as a classic 6/7 duo. Scrum-half Leia Brebner-Holden brought pace and accuracy whenever she played. Wingers Cieron Bell – 5 tries in 7 – and Nicole Flynn – still only 18 – both have huge futures ahead of them.

A few more were then called up as ‘day trainers’ - skipper Sarah Denholm, who’s looked assured at 10, Natasha Logan, who has stood-out in the second row, Molly Poolman who was part of a really effective front row group, and Hannah Walker who hasn’t looked out of place out wide. Centre Briar McNamara must be in the coach’s thoughts ahead of becoming SQ later this year. This is what it's all about for Edinburgh right now - using the Celtic Challenge as a way for players to put their hands up for international consideration.

Fuller thoughts via The Burgh Watch: https://bit.ly/CloverandOut
And BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/clm72rdl88mo

Full results:
Edinburgh Rugby 28-12 Glasgow Warriors
Edinburgh Rugby 17-27 Wolfhounds
Brython Thunder 17-22 Edinburgh Rugby
Gwalia Lightning 20-21 Edinburgh Rugby
Edinburgh Rugby 35-21 Clovers
Edinburgh Rugby 26-26 Wolfhounds
Clovers 12-12 Edinburgh Rugby

Final table (from 7 games):
Wolfhounds - won 6, drawn 1 - 32pts
Edinburgh Rugby - won 4, drawn 2 - 25pts
Clovers - won 3, drawn 1 - 17pts
Gwalia Lightning - won 3 - 17pts
Brython Thunder - won 3 - 16pts
Glasgow Warriors - 0 wins - 1pt

Bring on next season, I say!