Women: AIL Week 2 Preview.

Five Ulster sides are in action this Sunday as the Women’s AIL enters it’s second week.

Division 1 side Cooke face a tough trip to league leaders Highfield who only conceded 3 points last week in a 69 – 3 win away to Blackrock. The Belfast side, despite going down heavily themselves last week, will be looking to build on their attacking performance from last week but will need to have put in plenty of work in their defence if they’re going to get anything out of this game. I expect a win for high flying Highfield but I expect Cooke to push them in what should be a closer game.

In Division 2 Cavan face league leaders Belfast Harlequins in what should be an interesting encounter. Cavan, who went down 18 – 15 against Navan,  in a correction from last week, will be a tough nut to crack at home. Quins will need their Ireland stars Ashleigh Baxter and Nikki Caughey to control the game if they are to come out of this one with a win but if they can get parity up front their exciting back line should have too much for the home side.

Queen’s v Eniskillen should be the game of the afternoon with big expectations for both teams this season. The students, in their debut season in the AIL, have the experienced Imogen Porter and Claire McLaughlin in the back line but they might find it a bit tough up front against an aggressive Enniskillen pack. Ex Skin’s back row player Gemma McCutcheon will face a difficult game against her old team and she will need to be at her best if the home side are to get their campaign off to a winning start. This one could go either way and it’ll be our covered match this weekend.

Women’s AIL Division 1.

Pos		Team	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	TB	LB	Pts
1		Highfield	1	1	0	0	69	3	66	1	0	5
2		Galwegians	1	1	0	0	69	12	57	1	0	5
3		Old Belvedere	1	1	0	0	53	0	53	1	0	5
4		U.L. Bohemian	1	1	0	0	46	0	46	1	0	5
5		St. Mary’s	1	0	0	1	0	46	-46	0	0	0
6		Tralee	1	0	0	1	0	53	-53	0	0	0
7		Cooke	1	0	0	1	12	69	-57	0	0	0
8		Blackrock	1	0	0	1	3	69	-66	0	0	0

Women’s AIL Division 2N

Pos		Team	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	TB	LB	Pts
1		Belfast Harlequins	1	1	0	0	43	0	43	1	0	5
2		Navan RFC	1	1	0	0	18	15	3	0	0	4
3		Cavan	1	0	0	1	15	18	-3	0	1	1
4		Enniskillen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5		Garda	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6		Queens University	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
7		City Of Derry	1	0	0	1	0	43	-43	0	0	0