From the opening whistle, UKAF showed great ambition, making strong metres with ball in hand. However, their early promise was undermined by handling errors and ill-discipline, allowing France to grow into the match. The visitors struck first with a determined passage of play that ended in the game’s opening try, silencing the home crowd. The conversion was missed, but France had laid down the marker: UKAF 0–5 France.
The match then descended into a scrappy affair, with both teams locked in a bruising midfield battle. UKAF’s No.14 Orla Proctor set the tone defensively, repeatedly halting French momentum with thunderous tackles. Despite that defensive grit, France’s heavy carries and sustained pressure forced infringements from the home side. The pressure eventually told, and France powered over for their second try. This time the conversion was good, extending their lead to 0–12.
UKAF, however, were far from beaten. A driving maul deep in French territory saw prop Sarah Batley crash over the line to score, bringing the home side and their supporters back into the contest. With the successful conversion, UKAF narrowed the gap to 7–12 and reignited belief. Yet France responded swiftly, capitalising on a fortuitous bounce off the posts from a conversion to stretch their lead again: UKAF 7–19 France at halftime.
The second half began with France in control. A sharp, darting pass opened space for their No.21, who sliced through the UKAF defence to touch down beneath the posts. With another accurate conversion, France moved further ahead at 26–7. UKAF, now facing a mountain to climb, refused to back down. Their defensive effort remained immense, but France continued to find gaps out wide and added a fifth try, taking the score to 31–7 after the missed kick.
To their credit, UKAF never stopped competing. The final 15 minutes saw both sides trading penalties in a fiercely contested breakdown, and the match took on the air of a full-blooded arm wrestle. In the closing stages, UKAF struck again, barging over from close range to give the crowd one last cheer and bring the score to 12–31.
As the clock wound down, the intensity only increased. France saw yellow for cynical play, leaving them a player down for the remainder of the match, but the damage had already been done. The final whistle confirmed France’s progression to the final after a punishing, enthralling contest that showcased the grit of UKAF and the clinical edge of France.
Both teams left the field battered but with pride intact. For France, it was a statement of strength and composure under pressure. For UKAF, it was a performance marked by resilience, heart, and flashes of brilliance against a formidable opponent.
Photos (c) Alligin Photography
