Leinster make history in first women’s club match at Twickenham

Harlequins’ 47-26 victory over Leinster in the first ever women’s club match played at Twickenham contained 11 tries and entertained those of the 7,600 spectators who stayed on after watching the English club’s men’s team draw 30-30 with the Leicester Tigers in Aviva Premiership.

The Harlequins women's team scored seven tries in total, including a hat-trick from England wing Jess Breach, while Rachel Buford, Amy Cockayne, Fiona Fletcher and Ireland international flanker Anna Caplice crossed for the hosts. Ellie Green kicked four conversions and Emily Scott two, while Irish frontrower Leah Lyons came on as a replacement.

Leinster recovered from conceding a brace of early tries by striking back with one from Daisy Earle. Prop Linda Djougang crossed the Harlequins line following a brilliant offload from captain Sene Naoupu and a powerful carry from Meabh O'Brien.

The home side were always in the ascendancy on the scoreboard but Leinster continued to play their expansive rugby in an entertaining tussle with the outstanding Lindsay Peat, playing at flanker, and hooker Victoria Dabanovich-O'Mahony also claiming tries. Number eight Hannah O'Connor kicked three conversions in a history-making fixture refereed by Ireland's Joy Neville.