In a splendid weekend for Cumbria county rugby, the women’s team started their championship programme with a fine 22-10 win at Coalville against Leicestershire.
The bonus point win on the road was the perfect start to their 2026 campaign and perfectly sets up the follow-up, which is Oxfordshire at Wigton on Sunday with a 1pm kick off.
Cumbria will be looking to build on this positive start with a win which would see them qualify for the semi-finals.
They had made a bright start against Leicestershire with Ruth Barnes scoring out wide from a scrum move in the 8th minute.
Then Kim Fitzmaurice powered over three minutes later following sustained pressure in the Leicestershire 22.
In the 22nd minute Leicestershire tried to clear their lines but the ball didn’t find touch and Barnes returned the kick which bounced into the hands of chasing scrum-half Phil Chadwick.
She managed to beat the home defender and ground the ball over the line again.
Playing with the gusty wind behind them they were in control for most of the first half and with a very good level of possession turned round 17-0 to the good.
They had left points on the pitch as among their chances they had one try disallowed from a dropped ball over the line.
A Leicestershire player managed to dislodge the ball in the grounding or otherwise Cumbria would have gone into the break with a bonus point and more comfortably ahead.
Changes at half time, and now playing into the wind, meant Cumbria did not start the second half quickly and allowed Leicestershire to capitalise on this.
After only three minutes a number of missed tackles and a run by their player of the match flanker Denecia Mckenzie, was enough to open up the Cumbria defence and she sailed through under the posts untouched.
The simple conversion was missed but Cumbria knew they were in for a fight to hold onto the lead.
However in the 60th minute, following a backs to the wall style defensive effort, broke the deadlock again through fly-half Sarah Smyth as she ran in under the posts.
It had followed a period of pressure in the opposition 2 with strong carries and an ability to cut through a tiring Leicestershire defensive line.
It only took three minutes for Leicestershire to answer with another try cutting Cumbria wide open in the midfield to score under the posts but again the conversion was missed.
Cumbria held onto the ball whenever they could for periods of the remaining 15 minutes but Leicestershire were very much throwing everything at Cumbria to try and cross the line again.
The Cumbrian defence stood firm and some excellent game management ensured they saw out the final minutes without conceding a further score.
Hear head coach Ally Ratcliffe’s verdict below:
