TWO Thurrock T-Birds helped England women’s sevens team to win the Dubai Plate final.

Rachael Burford and Emily Scott were both in the team that lifted the Plate at the famous Dubai Sevens tournament.

But although they were celebrating with silverware, the tournament did not go exactly to plan for the England side who are chasing qualification for the Olympic Games in Rio.

England started the tournament strongly, winning all their games to top their group, but they then lost 7-5 to France in the quarter-finals.

This meant they had to compete in the lower-grade Plate competition, but rallied to beat Russia and then Fiji in “golden time” to win the Plate, earning them vital points towards Olympic qualification.

Only the top four teams automatically qualify for the Olympics following a World Series tournament taking place over the course of this season and England are in fifth after the first of those in Dubai.

Meanwhile, back at home, the T-Birds had their second nasty fright in as many weeks at Henley.

T’s started well and, despite missing their England players, scored a try through Natalia Corrales, after some great inter-passing. It was converted, from wide out, by Zaza Nojoko.

Some probing kicks form Nojoko kept Henley pinned in their own half and, after some great driving work from the forwards, Clare Phelps picked up and drove over for a try. This time the conversion hit the post.

Phelps was then carded for entering a ruck from the side. T-Birds, a forward short, surprisingly carried on dominating in the forwards and scored a try through Frankie Jordan.

Henley then came to life and T’s defended well under a sustained onslaught, for the remainder of the half.

In the second half, Henley started to run the ball wide and cause trouble for the T-Birds with their full back sprinting fully 90 metres to score. She then scored again minutes later.

The hosts then scored a third try plus a conversion to level the score at 17-17.

Facing the possibility of their first league defeat in two seasons by a now rampant Henley side, the T-Birds really showed their true grit and class.

They pounded away on the Henley line until the elusive South African international back row, Lala Vazi touched down to break the Henley resistance.

Further pressure from the forwards at the death resulted in a second try for Clare Phelps, and a fifth try bonus point for the T-Birds.