London Broncos’ dreams of reaching the Betfred Women’s Super League were dashed as Featherstone Rovers secured a 20-10 victory in Sunday’s Championship Grand Final at Chiswick RFC.
The Broncos had gone through 11 rounds of the regular season unbeaten to finish top of the table, but their impressive record slipped when it counted most against second-placed Featherstone.
The hosts held a narrow 10-8 lead at halftime, but as the weather conditions worsened in the second half, the Rovers saw their chance and clawed ahead with a strong attacking drive and impenetrable defence to seal their return to the Women’s Super League following relegation last year.
Broncos captain Courtney Treco said: “Someone’s got to win, someone’s got to lose.
“Unfortunately, we might have been on the wrong side of it, but it doesn’t mean we have loads to build on and that we didn’t have an incredible season to get us to this point.”
Tries from Sian McLaughlin and Nicole Kennedy plus a conversion from Kathryn Salter inside the first quarter of an hour got the Broncos off to the perfect start.
However, Rovers responded through scores from Lydia Fawkes, Ellie Lamb, Brogan Kennedy and Alyssa Courtney, with Dani Waters kicking two conversions, to fight back and seal the title and promotion.
Featherstone prop and player of the match Brogan Churm said: “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, we knew it was going to be scrappy.
“It’s always nice to be the underdogs and get a good win.
“We fought for each other and played for each other.
“We’re enjoying the journey, and it’s good to do it with a group of mates, which we all are, so it makes it all even better.”
It was tough going for both teams on an afternoon of constant rain, and Broncos centre Katie Wallis admitted their opponents had the edge in coping with those conditions.
She said: “I think the conditions today were pretty tough for both teams, being super wet.
“It did favour them more because they’re more of a heavier forward-driven side, and we tend to like to get it out wide.
“But that’s, that’s rugby, right? You’ve got to play the conditions, and they just came out on top today.”
Feature image: Suzi Garforth
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