The first team at Teddington have enjoyed a strong league winning season so this time it was the turn of some new faces to get some game time. A raft of players played their first ever game of rugby in this one alongside some players returning from injury and some older faces – like first team coach Ali Donnelly - lending a hand to ensure a full squad!

Captained by Toni Kershaw, who had an excellent game, Teddington started strongly and after some hard yards gained by Nadine Fletcher and Amy Montague up front, which eventually led to a try from the barnstorming number 8 Katie Brown, who was too tough to stop from close range.

In ensuring a full squad, Teddington’s team was somewhat favouring pack play with all but two players on the field forwards, but Sarah Edwards, Becky Piddlestone and Jess Tabram did a great job at 10, 12 and 13 – all completely unfamiliar positions to them while Jo Mair and Miriam Kauzlaricova worked hard out wide to cover a very quick Quins wing and fullback.

Harlequins took advantage though of Teddington’s narrowness out wide and their pacey winger raced away to level the game up. Quins scored an almost identical try minutes later from a turnover, with the speed out wide too much for the home team and the visitors took the lead.

Next up, Piddlestone scored a great try out wide after some fast hands with Phaedra Bailey getting through some hard work at the breakdown.

After half time Quins pushed ahead again with a well worked try out wide – this time after another turnover – but Antlers then put together some much better phases with Cheryl Reynolds impressing on her first ever game of rugby and Miriam Kauzlaricova making some excellent tackles.

Piddlestone scored again for Teddington with a great running line taking her beyond numerous defenders but Quins were still 19-15 ahead with the three Teddington tries unconverted. In the final minutes the visitors took the win with an excellent offloading try and conversion.

A big thank you to IL Forno Bakery in Hinchley Wood for helping provide the post match food.

This was a fantastic and enjoyable occasion for Teddington’s development team who will play in round two of this tournament against both Quins and Hammersmith 2s on March 15th in Isleworth. It was also great to see the club’s link with St Mary’s going strong with five players representing Antlers at the weekend also university players.