News / Aleisha the hero as women’s rugby team clinch title
THE SHETLAND women’s rugby team are celebrating after winning the inaugural BT Women’s North League thanks to a last-gasp try that secured victory over Inverness Craig Dunain at Clickimin on Saturday.
Since September the team has been competing in the new division, set up by the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) to allow Shetland and Orkney the opportunity to take part in competitive rugby.
Winger Aleisha Devine was the hero as Shetland defeated Inverness 10-5 on Saturday. She scored both tries, with the decisive try coming with less than five minutes left on the clock.
A draw would have been enough for Inverness to secure the title, but Shetland’s victory means they finish a point ahead.
Team member Annalie Irvine said the team were delighted to have won the league, and said it had been “really successful” for all four teams – the others are Orkney and Banff – in raising the profile of the women’s game.
“We’ve done really well,” she said. “Inverness led the league for the whole season up until the last five minutes, when we scored the winning try. Orkney have got a lot of numbers playing too, and it’s really helped raise things for women’s rugby in the north of Scotland.”
Shetland won four and drew one of their six games over the winter, and Annalie said the team were looking forward to continuing to participate in SRU competition next season.
She said the SRU was going to fully fund the league, though there might be “a bit of a shake-up for women’s rugby” which could see other teams added into the competition.
Shetland are coached by Neil Murray and Brian Chittick, and campaigned by Katie Roe.
Annalie added that the players wanted to thank their sponsors Star Rent A Car, who take care of their travel arrangements on the mainland and some of their kit, and NorthLink which provides discounted ferry fares.
The Shetland women’s team’s 2016/17 results:
- Saturday 20 September: Orkney 0, Shetland 20
- Saturday 15 October: Shetland 56, Banff 15
- Sunday 20 November: Shetland 5, Orkney 5
- Saturday 18 February: Inverness Craig Dunain 12, Shetland 10
- Saturday 11 March: Banff 0, Shetland 32
- Saturday 25 March: Shetland 10, Inverness Craig Dunain 5
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