Trojans 5, Thurrock T'Birds 32 WOMENS RUGBY: Thurrock T'Birds made the long journey down to Southampton on Sunday to play the Trojans who are a league above them.

The T'Birds were looking forward to the start of the new season with a number of new faces being signed over the summer and a number of old faces returning to the side.

The T'birds looked sharp from the start and put the Trojans on the back foot with some very organised attacks that ended up the the first score of the game.

After the restart the Trojans started to play and pinned the thurrock side back into there own 22 for a long period of pressure.

Following a late tackle one of the the T'Birds were sent to the bin for 10 minutes. The T'birds were now defending there line with 14 players and after 15 mins of solid defence Trojans broke the line to level the game. Just before half time the Thurrock team put some great plays together and again opened up the Trojans defence for there second try of the game, the half finished 12 5 to the T'Birds.

At half time the coaches and players thought that if we kept playing as we were then we would win the game but we have to up the performance by 10%. As the second half started the T'Birds got on top of the Trojans team and started to play some fantastic rugby that at times seemed as though it came straight off the training park.

Thurrock pulled the opposition from one side of the pitch to the other and the T'Birds fitness started to show as the tries kept coming.

The Thurrock pack were now on top and turned over all the scrums against the head and the backline was full of pase and direction. Some big hits in defence see some of the Trojan players leave the field of play as the t'birds looked physical stronger and more organized.

Head Coach Dean White said 'We came here today for a really tough game and we wasn't let down.

Trojans are a league above us but we outplayed them in every area of the game and i am really pleased with the performance'.

The Thurrock team had four debuts that took to the field with everyone of them playing very well, they were: Emily Scott, India Harvey, Christina and Frenchie. The team also welcomed back Katie Fenn after having a baby and Charlotte Bolton returning from Saracens.

The try scores were: Dannie Harris 2, Christnia 1, Emily Scott 1, India Harvey 1, Katie Fenn 1. With one conversation from Emily Scott.

The T'birds next game is This Sunday (3 October) away to Wimbledon and is there first league game of the season, the First home game is the following Sunday (10 Oct) against Richmond.