Rugby round-up: Gloucester-Hartpury girls star in Grand Slam win; Cinderford face drop; four sides reach Cup semi-finals; Combination cup finals decided; fixtures

Gloucester-Hartpury’s Alex Matthews, with two, and Maud Muir scored tries as England defeated France 21-42 in Bordeaux to win their third successive Six Nations grand slam on Saturday evening.

Zoe Aldcroft, Natasha Hunt, Tatyana Heard and Mackenzie Carson were also involved in the game, while Wales picked up a first win of the tournament when they defeated Italy 22-20 at the Principality Stadium.

Hannah Jones captained the side containing Sisilia Tuipulotu, Lleucu George, Kelsey Jones, Kate Williams and Gwennan Hopkins, and Tuipulotu’s 78th minute try and George’s 79th minute conversion sealed the win in Cardiff.

Abbey Constable and Nel Metcalfe were unused subs for the game.

Ireland beat Scotland in Belfast, where Scotland’s Caity Mattinson only lasted 10 minutes before leaving the field on a stretcher bot for Ireland Neve Jones played 45 minutes at hooker and Sam Monaghan saw out the full 80 as Ireland claimed a 15-12 win.

Gloucester-Hartpury scored four tries to see off Exeter 26-14, securing third place in the Allianz Cup.

The deadlock was broken by a try for Exeter’s Clara Nielson, which Robyn Wilkins converted.

Trudy Cowan’s try on the stroke of half-time evened the scores and in the second half, Charlie-Mai Manns ran in untouched before Gloucester-Hartpury extended their lead, Lizzie Goulden running in from 70 metres out.

The win was sealed late on when Steph Else took the score to 26-7, with Exeter getting a try back, but it was too little too late.

Pip Hendy and Georgia Brock have signed new deals for the club.

Hendy covers multiple positions, on the wing and outside centre and back-row forward Brock has been one of Gloucester-Hartpury’s most reliable and consistent players.

Bishop’s Stortford secured their place in National League One next season and consigned Cinderford to relegation, beating them 27-22 in the season’s final game.

It was the away side’s half from the first whistle, as they were awarded a penalty try after Joe Mullis was shown a yellow card.

Momentum continued as Harrison Langworthy’s powerful ball-carrying secured their second try, pushing the score to 12-0.

Cinderford fought back, but a clever grubber set up winger Jake Morris for Stortford’s third try, converted by fly-half Tom Walker.

The away side’s relentless pressure continued, with Will Rogers adding another try to give Cinderford a 24-point deficit to overcome.

Despite a late surge from Cinderford, with winger Sam Smith scoring to put the home side on the scoreboard, the visitors finished the half with a 24-5 lead.

Cinderford fought back fiercely in the second half, with George Porter scoring to narrow the gap to 24-10.

Stortford extended their lead with a penalty kick from Connor Lloyd in the 54th minute; however, a red card for Harrison Langworthy halted their momentum just minutes later.

Cinderford capitalised as they continued to pile the pressure on the visitors, with Smith scoring again almost immediately after the red card, followed by another try for the home side by Max Knight to bring them within five points.

Despite a missed penalty kick for Stortford and a strong second-half comeback by Cinderford, the visitors held on for a victory.

Four county sides are 80 minutes from a Community Cup final after booking semi-final spots on Saturday.

Drybrook will host Trowbridge in the Regional 2 South Plate on Saturday after their 52-14 win over Thornbury, Mitch Baldwin leading the way with a hat-trick of tries.

Sonny Greenman set them on their way with two penalties, but Thornbury led 7-6 with a converted try.

Drybrook regained the lead with another Greenman penalty, 9-7 the half-time score.

But they started the second half superbly as Baldwin scored his first try and quickly added a second, Greenman’s conversion making it 21-7.

Baldwin, completed his hat-trick on 60 minutes. Greenman adding the extra two points, and next on the scoresheet was scrum-half Sam Moreton-Smith.

Thornbury were able to add to their score with a converted try but Drybrook finished the game strongly.

Dean Jelf scored a fine solo effort, Andy Milner adding the conversion, with Cai Rogers and Luke Roberts getting in on the act, Tom Treherne adding a conversion.

As a result of Drybrook’s win, their Forest Combination Senior Cup final against Newent has been delayed to Wednesday, May 15, (7.30) at Cinderford.

Longlevens also have home advantage in the Counties 1 Championship , hosing KCS Old Boys after their 25-19 win over Nailsea & Backwell.

Joshua Stratton, Matthew Smith and Tom Barton got their tries, Brad Wilkins with two conversions and two penalties.

Smiths go to Bristol Saracens in the Counties 2 South Plate on Thursday evening - their opponents agreeing to move the game as Smiths have the Cheltenham Combination Cup final on Saturday - after they beat Hucclecote 47-19.

Mitch Renton (two), Marcus Raymond, Ben Hawker, Tayler Johnstone, Adam Ginns and John Bryant scored their tries, with Marcus Raymond converting six times.

Sam Limbrick, Charles Cooke and Max Marshall went over for Hucclecote, Josh McGill with two conversions.

Cirencester are on the road to Avonmouth Old Boys in the Counties 2 South Shield after their narrow 16-14 win against Dursley.

Tommy Woodward scored their only try with the rest of the points from the boot of Will Lowe, the game doubling up as part of the Stroud Combination Senior Cup round-robin.

Cirencester and Dursley now have a win each in that competition, with Cirencester yet to face Stroud.

Newent and Stow-on-the-Wold missed out on semi-final places in the Regional 2 Championship.

Newent were beaten 29-22 by Royal Wootton Bassett, who went through by a point.

Mason Emery touched down for the first try of the game before one of Newent’s most influential players, Ben Vincent limped off.

Tom Webb kicked a penalty to make it 8-0, but after a yellow card for Jacob Ivell, RWB cut the gap with a try.

But Newent led 15-5 at half-time as Dan Fletcher crashed over and Webb made no mistake with the conversion.

The visitors who were to strike in the second half with a converted try, and added another which put RWB into the lead for the first time at 19-15.

They extended that further with another converted try and a drop goal to make it 29-15.

Newent did not lie down and after a scrum penalty, a quick tap was taken and Will Tanner scored close to the posts, Webb converting.

With a few minutes remaining, another try would give them a second bonus point, which would take them into the semi-final, but Bassett held out.

Stow finished second in Pool 2, behind Northampton Old Scouts, after edging out Long Eaton 36-35

Zebedee Waite, Ben Collett, Rhys Edwards, Cameron Tyler and Toby Stayt scored their tries, with Charlie Slatter kicking four conversions and a penalty.

Old Patesians lost to Saltash in the Counties 2 Championship , going down 38-26 despite two tries for Johnny Fenley and one for Lucas Town, Sam Rhymes with two conversions and three penalties.

Cheltenham will face Smiths in Saturday’s Cheltenham Combination Senior Cup final after a 40-5 semi-final win at Cheltenham North.

The game got off to even start but two tries from Swiss international Cam Holenstein and Sam Attwooll and a conversion from Curtis Neal gave Tigers a 12-0 lead at the break.

Further tries from Ryan Cengiz, Henry Kirchner, Joe Warner and another from Holenstein sealed the win, with the reliable boot of Neal adding all the conversions, and with the home side crossing for a single score.

Cheltenham Saracens are in the final of the Junior Cup against Smiths II after their 57-19 semi-final win over Cheltenham North II.

Old Patesians III were 69-17 winners over Smiths Wanderers in the Minor Cup semi-final and face CCS Warpigs II.

They faced Cheltenham III in the semi-final, the game ending 19-19, with extra-time then being played, Cheltenham winning 38-26.

But the Combination rules state that - except for the finals - when a game ends level on score, tries and conversions, the away team wins, rather than extra time being played.

The North Gloucester Combination, Glanville Cup final on Sunday sees Matson III up against Gordon League III.

Matson beat Gloucester Old Boys II 41-12, Alfie Williams among the try scorers, and one for Liam Thomas, Callum Dunn and Heath Turner, with Spencer Bell adding conversions

Dean Rice and Steve Brown scored tries for Old Boys, Al Bryan with a conversion.

Gordon League III were 36-26 winners over Chosen Hill III in the other semi-final.

Second-placed Dursley made it 10 wins from 12 for the season in Women’s NC 2 South West (North).

They beat Greyhound 35-21, scoring tries through Janice Thomson (two), Milly Pittway and Leah Parry, with Scoot Mansell converting three and kicking three penalties.

Sharlene Greensmith scored two tries as Old Cryptians were 20-12 winners over Cheltenham Civil Service in Women’s NC 3 South West (North) .

Kerry Brennan and Rachael Green scored the others, with Jaq Haines and Georgina Keene crossed for Service, Amber Coxhill with a conversion.

Cheltenham North were beaten 26-5 by unbeaten leaders Clee Hill, Lauren Twinning with their try.

FIXTURES

Thursday, May 2

Counties 2 South Plate, semi-final: Bristol Saracens v Smiths Rugby

Friday, May 3

Forest of Dean Combination Minor Cup final: Cinderford IV v Bream II (at Drybrook)

Saturday, May 4

European Challenge Cup, semi-final: Gloucester v Benetton

Championship: Hartpury v Caldy

Regional 2 South Plate, semi-final: Drybrook v Trowbridge

Counties 1 Championship, semi-final: Longlevens v KCS Old Boys

Counties 2 South Shield, semi-final: Avonmouth Old Boys v Cirencester

Forest of Dean Combination Junior Cup final: Cinderford III v Bream (at Berry Hill)

Cheltenham Combination Senior Cup final: Smiths v Cheltenham (Prince of Wales Stadium, 5pm)

Junior Cup final: Smiths II v Cheltenham Saracens (Prince of Wales Stadium, 3pm)

Minor Cup final: CCS Warpigs II v Old Patesians III (Prince of Wales Stadium, 1pm)

Sunday, May 5

North Gloucester Combination Senior Cup final: Old Centralians v Matson (Kingsholm, 5pm)

Junior Cup final: Gloucester Old Boys v Matson II (Kingsholm, 2pm)

Glanville Cup final: Matson III v Gordon League III (Kingsholm, 11am)

Women’s Championship South West 2: Drybrook v Cullompton