TWRUFC Ladies 2nd XV 39 vs Faversham RUFC 7

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Match Report

In the sunshine at St Peter’s, Thanet Wanderers Women’s 2nd XV—bolstered by four brilliant players from Medway—capped off their season with a strong performance against a combined Faversham & Dover side. This development fixture was a fantastic showcase of teamwork, resilience, and the growth this squad has demonstrated throughout the year.

Thanet kicked off and immediately set the tone with determined carries from forwards Rebecca Hewitt, Hollie Callaghan, and Sian Boyce. Early attacking phases saw Tabs Raymonde orchestrating the backline with control, linking well with Daisy Osborn and Chloe Siddall out wide. Despite some early turnovers, the home side’s defensive grit stood firm—Rebecca Hewitt and Izzy Lodge made stand-out tackles to shut down promising breaks.

Aggressive line speed and ball recovery, led again by Rebecca Hewit put the pressure back on, with strong carries from Helen Hollinsworth, Carley Powderham, and impressive Rezi Bielija. A beautifully timed inside ball from Megan Bish set Tabs Raymonde free to slice under the posts for the opening try, confidently converted by Chloe Siddall.

From the restart, Thanet surged up field again. Crisp passing between Tabs Raymonde, Izzy Lodge, Hollie Callaghan, and Brioni Reah kept the tempo high. Kat Stuart played with speed and intelligence, taking quick taps and offloading cleverly to forwards like Rebecca Hewitt and Brioni Reah, while Holly Thurman Newell dominated at scrum time. A slick sequence involving Daisy Osborn, Izzy Lodge, and Hollie Callaghan led to Chloe Siddall finishing off another sweeping move—then stepping up once more to add the extras.

The Medway contingent played a vital role, with Sophie Rowlinson-Rogers, Gemma Duncan, and debutant Mia Cook making their mark, while Amy Coates’s outstanding carries and dominant defensive efforts earned her the Forward of the Match award.

However, the visitors weren’t done yet and responded with determination. Their number 14 broke through and sprinted the length of the pitch to score under the posts, reducing the deficit to 14–7 at half-time.

Thanet started the second half with intent. The visitors’ restart was claimed by Brioni Reah, who took it into contact. From the breakdown, Georgia Elks broke the gain line and passed to Megan Bish, whose kick was contested. Though the ball was stolen by the visitors, a penalty for a high tackle gave them a lineout in Thanet’s half. But Holly Thurman Newell rose expertly to steal it back.

Following a scrum win, Tabs Raymonde sent the ball to Georgia Elks, who hit up hard and found Izzy Lodge on the outside. Izzy rounded her opposite number and slid in for the next score. The conversion narrowly missed.

Soon after, Thanet were awarded a penalty, and Chloe Siddall kicked deep but missed touch. Faversham returned it, but Thanet capitalised quickly, getting the ball to Izzy Lodge, who passed to Megan Bish right on Thanet’s own try line. With pace to burn, Megan left the opposition in her wake to run the full length of the pitch and score to the right of the posts—an electric solo effort, though the conversion was just short.

As Thanet dominated possession, Justine Macintosh supported well at the breakdown, and Kat Stuart ensured quick ball delivery. Chloe Siddall delivered a pinpoint kick to the corner, where Rebecca Hewitt recovered the loose ball, linked with Izzy Lodge and Megan Bish, and Georgia Elks capped off her strong showing with a storming carry through defenders, setting up Tabs Raymonde for her second try of the match. The conversion went wide, but Thanet were in full control.

Then, Holly Thurman Newell powered through defenders with support on either side. A quick offload to Izzy Lodge, then to Tabs Raymonde, saw the fly-half ghost through the line again and ground the ball. Another conversion attempt fell just short.

In the final phases, a scrum down gave Thanet possession again. The ball passed through Izzy Lodge to Aimee Williams, who was having a confident debut, and then to Chloe Siddall, who made a sharp break. Megan Bish gathered the offload beautifully, but a knock-on halted play. From the opposition scrum, their clearance kick was well-read by Megan, who danced around defenders and dotted down in the corner for her second try of the day. Though the kick was missed, it sealed a comprehensive 39–7 win.

Despite a spirited performance from Faversham & Dover, Thanet closed out their season with an emphatic win. Megan Bish was named Back of the Match for her control, creativity, and great line runs

A huge thank you goes to Medway RFC for their support and to Faversham & Dover for a competitive and spirited match.

This fixture was a brilliant reflection of how far the development team has come—full of teamwork, heart, and flashes of individual brilliance. 

Here’s to a season of learning, growth, and pride. Rollo on next year!

Tries:

Conversions:

Penalties: None

Drop Goals: None