Evans is encouraged by GRL's ‘massive’ progress

Head coach Steve Evans expressed his delight with the progress his largely new-look and youthful squad have been making this season as they gain match experience in Women’s NC One South-East (South) after they ended 2023 by holding fourth-placed Heathfield & Waldron to a hard-fought draw on Saturday and came agonisingly close to their first win.

‘I think the development of the squad has been massive,’ Evans said.

‘We’ve been away and we’ve had three players over 21 in a squad of 18, so we’ve got a really, really young and inexperienced squad.

‘We’re bringing experienced players back from injury – they’re leading, it’s not just the captain, we’ve got leaders on the pitch and everybody’s skill level is climbing.

‘We’re starting to get used to playing as a unit so people know how the players around them are playing and we’re doing better.

‘So I’m really pleased with the performance against Heathfield and I think the ladies should be really proud of themselves.

‘We’ve come such a long way over the course of the season and and we’ve had three tricky games over the last three. We’ve played top, second and Heathfield & Waldron are fourth and we’ve pushed top and second really hard and I think Heathfield came here expecting an easy win – well, they didn’t get a win and it certainly wasn’t easy.’

Daisy Travers was one of the established players who has just returned from injury, having not played since the Siam in May, and she marked her comeback with her side’s try at the weekend.

Evans emphasised that the experience and guidance that the likes of Travers can bring to the newcomers will be a vital part of their rugby education.

‘We’ve had not just Daisy, but we’ve had a significant number of injuries at the beginning of the season and people coming back strengthen the squad and bring a lot of experience.

‘I think what works for us is that combination – we’ve got under-18s who have been signed off to play and we’ve got older, more experienced players returning to the squad and we just seem to be gelling.

‘It looks good for 2024.

‘I’d be aiming to pick off wins before the Siam, so we’re firing on all cylinders, and I think if we keep developing as we have over the first half of the season in the second half of the season, then then we’re going to do well.’