Jersey RFC Women started brightly but were undone by a clinical second-half from league leaders Hove, going down 20–38 at CoinShares Park.
The hosts, third in Women’s NC1 South East (South), made a flying start. Centre Georgina Ruellan opened the scoring inside five minutes, with fly-half Laura Turpin adding a second to give Jersey a 10–0 lead.
The home side dominated possession and territory, repeatedly testing Hove’s defence and controlling play inside the visitors’ 22. Hove responded with a converted try from Sophie Walsh, but Jersey struck again before half-time as Ella Vieira powered over, leaving the score 15–7.
The first half was stop-start with a series of injuries, including the referee being replaced mid-game by Jersey coach George Thomas.
Hove returned after the break with renewed intensity. A quick-tap try narrowed the gap to 15–12, and Tiara Galloway’s breakaway score, converted by Walsh, gave the visitors a 19–15 lead.
Jersey captain Katie De La Cloche responded with a try following sustained pressure, reclaiming a 20–19 advantage while Hove played a player down.
Hove’s tactical kicking then began to stretch Jersey, with Lauren McInerney crossing to regain the lead. Galloway added her second and then completed a hat-trick in the 65th minute as Hove sealed the win.
Despite the 20–38 scoreline, Jersey matched the division leaders for long spells and showed resilience and skill throughout.
Early dominance, powerful breaks, and relentless defence highlighted a strong performance, but Hove’s clinical finishing and second-half strategy proved decisive in the end.
See Monday’s JEP for a full report and reaction.
