Cougar Comeback Makes It Three From Three

The Scotland Women Cougars overturned a 15-point deficit on Sunday to win take a clean sweep in the Scottish Regional Series 3-0.Created to provide performance players with an opportunity to play at more competitive level, by bridging the gap between club and international rugby, the Regional Series will be used as selection tool for the Scotland Women’s and development teams for the 2009/10 season. The Cougars had already won the series with two back-to-back wins but with national places up for grabs there was no let up in the full-throttle encounter.Keen not be the victims of a clean sweep the Scotland Women’s Lions came bursting out of the starting blocks and drew fist blood after just seven minutes when back-row forward Ruth Slaven scored an unconverted try.However, after 20 minutes of arm-wrestling in the fiercely contested match, the Cougars crossed the line with the equaliser – wing Claire Bain crossed the line however the missed conversion meant that it was all square after 25 minutes.The Cougars then saw out the half in good shape when number 8 Keri Holdsworth and winger Cara D’Silva scored an unconverted try a-piece to put the Lions in 15-5 to the good at the break.However, keen to get the clean sheet of wins, the Lions fought back after the break getting the two tries needed to draw level thanks to Scotland Women’s back-row Lynne Reid and inside-centre Annabel Seargent.Emma Evans then stood up to the plate and slotted the only conversion of the match to snatch the game for the Cougars and secure the 3-0 win.Lions (blue shirts)15 Julie Sanaghan14 Cara D’Silva13 Celia Hawthorn12 Stephanie Johnstone11 Megan Gaffney10 Tanya Griffith9 Lisa Martin1 Roz Murphy2 Sarah Quick3 Beth Dickens4 Joy Lyth5 Jilly McCord6 Jemma Forsyth7 Ruth Slaven8 Keri HoldsworthReplacements16 Mari Forsyth (prop)17 Nikki Mcleod (hooker)18 Kay Chan (fullback)19 Dawn Hope (centre)20 Laura Hansen (back-row)Cougars (white shirts)15 Ciara Baxter14 Jenny Miller13 Katy Green12 Annabel Seargent 11 Claire Bain9 Louise Dalgliesh10 Emma Evans1 Heather Lockhart2 Sarah Lou Walker3 Lindsay Smith4 Marianne Oliver5 Natallya Macholla6 Lana Blyth7 Lynne Reid8 Louise MoffatReplacements16 Ellen Beattie (prop)17 Alison Macdonald (hooker)18 Joy Bark 2nd (row)19 Rhianne Boag  (centre)