Friday 29 March 2024
 7.4°C   SE Light Air
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / Aleisha the hero as women’s rugby team clinch title

The victorious Shetland women's rugby team following Saturday's win over Inverness at Clickimin. Photo courtesy of Shetland Women's Rugby.

THE SHETLAND women’s rugby team are celebrating after winning the inaugural BT Women’s North League thanks to a last-gasp try that secured victory over Inverness Craig Dunain at Clickimin on Saturday.

Since September the team has been competing in the new division, set up by the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) to allow Shetland and Orkney the opportunity to take part in competitive rugby.

Winger Aleisha Devine was the hero as Shetland defeated Inverness 10-5 on Saturday. She scored both tries, with the decisive try coming with less than five minutes left on the clock.

A draw would have been enough for Inverness to secure the title, but Shetland’s victory means they finish a point ahead.

Team member Annalie Irvine said the team were delighted to have won the league, and said it had been “really successful” for all four teams – the others are Orkney and Banff – in raising the profile of the women’s game.

“We’ve done really well,” she said. “Inverness led the league for the whole season up until the last five minutes, when we scored the winning try. Orkney have got a lot of numbers playing too, and it’s really helped raise things for women’s rugby in the north of Scotland.”

Shetland won four and drew one of their six games over the winter, and Annalie said the team were looking forward to continuing to participate in SRU competition next season.

She said the SRU was going to fully fund the league, though there might be “a bit of a shake-up for women’s rugby” which could see other teams added into the competition.

Shetland are coached by Neil Murray and Brian Chittick, and campaigned by Katie Roe.

Annalie added that the players wanted to thank their sponsors Star Rent A Car, who take care of their travel arrangements on the mainland and some of their kit, and NorthLink which provides discounted ferry fares.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

 

The Shetland women’s team’s 2016/17 results:

  • Saturday 20 September: Orkney 0, Shetland 20
  • Saturday 15 October: Shetland 56, Banff 15
  • Sunday 20 November: Shetland 5, Orkney 5
  • Saturday 18 February: Inverness Craig Dunain 12, Shetland 10
  • Saturday 11 March: Banff 0, Shetland 32
  • Saturday 25 March: Shetland 10, Inverness Craig Dunain 5

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.