BT Women’s Plate Final | Glasgow University push past Greenock Wanderers to claim the BT Women’s Plate title

Glasgow University were crowned winners of the BT Women’s Plate final after securing victory against Greenock Wanderers at BT Murrayfield today (34-17).

Greenock Wanderers came out firing at the start of the match, however, their charging attack was brought to a halt as Glasgow’s aggressive defence prevented the side from crossing over the whitewash.

Glasgow University captain Amy McGlashan initiated the scoring on the 20th minute after she cantered down the pitch to score (5-0).

Following a number of phases and hard carriers from the pack, Melanie Grant demonstrated her pace and dynamism as she swatted off numerous defenders and clambered over the line (10-0).

The side continued to assert their dominance in the game, as Shona Jessiman powered over the line to extend Glasgow University’s lead, with Grant adding the extras (17-0).

The scoreboard was not enough to diminish Greenock Wanderer’s fighting spirit, as the side began to build pressure on Glasgow’s defence and their persistence came to fruition when Hannah Mutton raced over the line to put the first points on the scoreboard for the west coast side (17-5).

Glasgow’s response came on the 38th minute, as Melanie Grant produced another scintillating attack to score her second try of the game, with Grant coverting her own try (24-5).

HT: Glasgow University 24-5 Greenock Wanderers

Greenock Wanderers rallied at the start of the second-half, and following a series of sustained pressure Catriona Cowan darted over the line (24-10).

Glasgow University opened up a substantial gap in the scoreline when speedy Jessiman sprinted over the whitewash for her second try of the game (29-10).

With momentum building, Greenock Wanderers looked dangerous in attack and their retaliation came when fly-half Mutton slipped down the midfield to score under the posts, with Emma Grace adding the extras (29-17).

Greenock Wanderers grabbed their sixth and final try on the game when player-of-the-match Jessiman sidled her way through the defence to score (34-17).

FT: Glasgow University 34-17 Greenock Wanderers

Glasgow University Head Coach, Murray Houston, expressed his delight with the team’s performance: “It was a really good, competitive game, like the two in the league had been.

“I think what told for us in the end was probably our conditioning, our fitness, which just makes everything a lot easier when you get to the end of the game.

“We’re really pleased with how that paid off towards the end, because Greenock are a very physical team. Whenever they had the ball they kept it for a long time, so we had to defend for long periods of the game.”

“It’s a really important win for us, because recruitment is key for the university. When they come to the university and they see it’s a successful club, people want to be a part of that.”

Glasgow University: Melanie Grant; Isabel King, Shona Jessiman, Victoria Renwick, Rachel Hunter; Iona Whyte, Amy McGlashan CAPTAIN; Philippa Abernethy, Gilbert Walker, Caitlin Abernethy, Elinor Grant, Katie Gray, Amy O’Keeffe, Erin Davie, Joanna McEwen. Substitutes: Sam Donnelly, Sophie Mathew, Tallulah Armstrong, Katie Hughes, Marie Angelina Wales, Eilidh Towers, Jenna Woods.

Greenock Wanderers: Catriona Cowan; Seonaid Knox, Nicole Boffey, Caitlyn Haldane, Lesley Routledge; Hanna Mutton, Beverley Addison; Emily Gray, Sophie Hicks, Lauren Gunn, Cat Geurtsen, Clare Nicolson, Anne Thomson, Tina Hemphill, Emma Grace CAPTAIN. Substitutes: Hannah Grace, Lisa Edwards, Carolanne Calderwood, Julie Ballie, Diane Hughes, MT Crumlish, Kathryn Aviss.