LINCOLN LADIES 2ND XV 17
MARKET RASEN & LOUTH VIXENS 30
WOMEN’S NC 3 NORTH (SOUTH)
BY JOSEPH VERNEY

A new era of one of Lincolnshire’s greatest rugby rivalries was born on Sunday as Lincoln and Market Rasen’s Ladies’ teams played each other in a competitive league fixture for the first time.

Just one year ago, the two teams were participating in the Inner Warrior Series - a tournament designed for players starting or returning to rugby later in life. Fast forward 12 months, and both are now playing competitively in the league pyramid, which is a great achievement and fantastic for women’s rugby in Lincolnshire.

Tries from Meg Lee and Mollie Leggott gave Rasen a 12-0 lead before Lincoln started to settle into their game and defend better.

Lincoln reduced the deficit with a well-worked try from Ife Bosede before Rasen extended their lead through Amy Baldry and Leggott.

The hosts refused to give up and after a period of sustained attack near the Rasen try-line Lucy Weekes, who was named as Lincoln’s Forward of the Match, crashed over for a try.


Debutant Anwen, who was named as Lincoln’s Back of the Match, then ran in for a try, which she also converted, to bring the hosts to within just three points of their local rivals going into the final 10 minutes of the game.

The game could have gone either way, but Rasen made sure they came out on top as Leggott ran in for a try to complete her hat-trick.

Baldry, who was named as Rasen’s Back of the Match, went over for the Vixens’ final score.

POST MATCH COMMENTS

After the match Lincoln Ladies 2nd XV Assistant Coach Sam McCabe-Hogan said: “There was some great work from the backs and forwards. They worked really well together and the teamwork was excellent.

“The backs started to move freely and grew with confidence. The forwards’s scrum was excellent all game and they never lost one.”

Rasen captain Katie Searle said: “I’m really proud of how far this team has come. Since the women’s section was reestablished in 2024 the team has worked incredibly hard to progress from IWS to NC, and it’s fantastic to see that hard work paying off.


“We’re still welcoming new players who are trying rugby for the very first time, which is brilliant to see. There’s a real sense of growth within the team, both on and off the pitch, and it’s exciting to see what we can continue to achieve together.”