It was the third year in a row the Cardiff-based team had made the short trip up the River Taff to the home of Welsh rugby. They beat Bonymaen in 2022 and lost to Pontyclun Falcons last year.
It wasn’t to be for Seven Sisters, who met the same opposition in the Plate final in 2017, as they attempted to replicate the success of their men’s side, who won the Division 5 Cup final earlier in month.
Winger Catrin Turner got the game’s first try as North exposed an overlap out wide in the sixth minute. Claudia Meyrick-Ward added the first of her many conversions.
WRU CEO Abi Tierney presents the Women’s Cup to Llandaff North skipper, and WRU Development Officer, Kira Philpott
A second try came in the opening 10 minutes for as full back Rhodd-Alaw Parry broke through inside her own 22 off the back of a scrum. She raced clear before handing a try on a plate to the supporting scrum half Niamh Tinman.
Try number three arrived a couple of minutes later as Seven Sisters allowed a clearing kick to bounce, and North outside half Joanne Jones pounced before offloading to openside flanker Cerys Ballett, who showed some tremendous pace to run in from inside her own half.
Having taken a firm grip on proceedings, North were obviously in the mood and in the groove and the tries just kept on flowing. Full back Parry ran an out-to-in angled run from outside centre’s Elis Hopkins to score under at the posts, with Meyrick-Ward’s second conversion of the game giving her side a healthy 24-0 lead after 20 minutes.
No8 Ffion Revill crossed for her side’s fifth try after several phases inside the 22, before referee had a second look at the try and gave a yellow card to Seven Sisters lock Emily Preedy after an earlier high tackle.
With the player advantage the tries kept flowing and Parry’s grubber kick paved the way for wing Katie Sims to make it six of the best.
Sims picked up her second six minutes later as she broke through a couple of tackles to run in from 60 meters. In the final play of the half, North’s outside centre Hopkins charged down a kick to score and make it 52-0 at the break.
To their credit, there was never any thought of throwing in the towel from Seven as they put every ounce of effort into their performance.
It took 13 minutes after the re-start before North added to their score with Molly Philpott racing clear from 70 meters after a turnover. Try number 10 was scored two minutes later, following a penalty taken quickly by scrum half Tinman.
The ball went sweetly through the hands to Parry who showed enough pace to step inside the final defender run in unopposed.
There was finally something to cheer about for Seven Sisters’ supporters on the hour mark when inside centre Jami Davies grounding the ball from short range following a Llandaff North handling error. Even the North players stood and applauded in a great show of sportsmanship.
Yet the tries kept coming for soon to be champions, with captain Kira Philpott finishing a great team try which saw forwards and backs combining for No 11.
They racked up a dozen with flanker Ballett running from her own 22 and evading several defenders before scoring at the posts. Then replacement Sioned Young added a score in the final five minutes after a offload off the floor from Tori Harte.
Seven Sisters did have the final say with a consolation score from outside centre Holly Cooper after who scoops up a loose ball, with Reeves kicking a second conversion in the final moment of the match.
Llandaff North: Rhodd-Alaw Parry; Katie Sims, Elin Hopkins, Claudia Meyrick-Ward, Catrin Turner; Joanne Jones, Niamh Tinman; Keely Ward, Emma Preece, Sophie Waugh, Katy Hudd, Rita Breen, Kira Philpott (captain), Cerys Ballett, Ffion Revill
Reps: Cari Pritchard, Megan Jenkins, Ffion Evans, Jo Hunt, Sioned Young, Molly Philpott, Tori Harte, Biba ChutaScorers: T: C Turner, N Tinman, C Ballett 2, R Parry 2, F Revill, K Sims 2, E Hopkins, M Philpott, K Philpott, S Young C: C Meyrick-Ward 10
Seven Sisters: Cerys Bowden; Leah Griffiths, Holly Cooper, Jami Davies, Caris Llewelyn; Rachel Rees, Hannah-Mâi Jones; Emma Powson, Kirsten Flower, Bethan Howell (captain) Emily Preedy, Jenny Adams, Jessica Thomas, Melissa Gnojek, Alicia Demery-Goatson
Reps: Victoria Necrews-Morgan, Siobhan Packer, Asha Lewis-John, Mariesa Thomas, Nia Williams, Nia Harries, Amber Howie, Emma DaviesScorers: T: J Davies, H Cooper C: Rachel Rees 2
Go.Compare Player of the Match: Cerys Ballett (Llandaff North)
