Bournville Maroons prepared for the start of their first season of competitive rugby with a 44-12 defeat by Lutterworth at Avery Fields in a friendly played in four 20 minute periods.
The Maroons are the second team to be fielded by the women’s section making Bournville the only Birmingham club to be running two senior women’s sides in league rugby.
There were six debutants for the Maroons against a more experienced Lutterworth side, among them 17-year-old Nieve McNally.
McNally is another product of Bournville’s Player Development Pathway having first joined the club at under-six before going on to represent North Midlands at age group level. Her punishing ball carrying consistently got Bournville over the gain line and on the front foot to give them the attacking platform they needed to turn the tide.
Fly-half Mia Patel scored the Maroons’ first points when she went over for a try in the second quarter of the match.
Emma Turner scored the second try in the third quarter with Patel adding the conversion which reduced Lutterworth’s lead to ten points before the Leicestershire club pulled away in the final quarter.
Despite the result, there were a number of outstanding performances for the Maroons as they head into their first season of league rugby. McNally was recognised as forward of the match while Amy Gebhard won back of the match and Lucy Williams opposition’s player of the match.
Bournville Golds will play in NC1 having won promotion last year with the Maroons joining them in the league pyramid in NC3.
If you would like to know more about Bournville’s Women’s section or want to get involved, please contact Jess Turner through the club’s instagram @bournville_rfc_women or by email general@averyfields.co.uk
