The Arnold Clark Regional Play-Off Series got underway domestically on Saturday.
Dundee Valkyries won Caledonia East One before Christmas with Wigtownshire winning West One and Highland winning Caledonia North One and, until April 4, these three regional league champions will play-off against Garioch, who finished bottom of the Premiership, in a round-robin competition.
Whoever finishes top of this competition after six games each will be in the top flight next term.
The Garioch-Dundee game was postponed on Saturday due to the weather, but Highland-Wigtownshire went ahead and it was the visitors who earned a 69-28 bonus point win in Inverness.
Niamh Wilson led the way with four tries for the victors with Sophie Mann scoring three, Kaylin Young two, Carla Campbell one and Isla Campbell one. Sophie Hall kicked seven conversions.
The Wigtownshire head coach Allan McMaster said: “We had a very poor first half, although credit has to go to Highland who were fantastic and didn’t allow us to settle.
“The second half was much like us, we started to work together and our structure began to show. We ran in four or five early tries after the break and that settled the team and put the game to bed.
“We know we can improve, but I was happy with the reaction from the team in the second half and we’ll look to build on that going forward.”
Highland actually led at half-time, but in the end earned just a four-try bonus point.
Rheo Laurenson scored two tries with Elle Briggs and Ashleigh Taylor also crossing while Lorna Young kicked four conversions.
“We went out hard and ended the first half in the lead,” Highland skipper Amy Brown said.
“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to sustain the momentum and Wigtownshire’s speed on the wings saw them build their lead. The final score doesn’t reflect how hard we made Wigtownshire fight and we have so much we can take from the game, both in terms of positives and ‘work ons’ and I was proud of the performance of the whole team.”
The Sarah Beaney Cup group phase started on Sunday.
With Premiership champions Stirling County having opted out of the event, it is a six-team tournament and after five round robin fixtures each the top two will head to the final on Silver Saturday on April 25 at Murrayfield.
Corstorphine Cougars and Hillhead Jordanhill were inactive this time around, but defending champions Watsonians swept Biggar aside 51-0 at Myreside with a bonus point.
And, at Dumbreck, Heriot’s fought back from 17-0 down after 50 minutes to secure an away 31-17 bonus point triumph versus Cartha Queens Park.
The try scorers in defeat for Cartha were Julie McAslan, Ellie Sutherland and Shona Jessiman with Sutherland kicking one conversion.
Madie Dadie, Eliza Davies, Mel Taylor (2) and Juliet Ramsay scored tries for Heriot’s and Sarah McCormack kicked three conversions.
In the National Shield pool stage, there were wins from Greenock Wanderers, Oban Lorne and Stewartry with Broughton given a walkover.
Hillfoots Vixens, Irvine, Livingston, Annan and Cartha Queens Park’s second team secured wins in the National Plate pool stage with Kirkcaldy and Perthshire handed walkovers. Whitecraigs and Strathaven drew 31-31.
The National Bowl does not start until March 1.
The Celtic Challenge woes continued for Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby over the weekend.
To their credit, Glasgow did pick up a four-try bonus point away to unbeaten leaders Wolfhounds on Sunday at Virgin Media Park as it finished 52-26, but unrepairable damage had been done in the first period with the Scots 40-0 down at half-time.
The day before, Edinburgh were just 12-7 down at the break to Gwalia Lightning at Hive Stadium, but capitulated in the second half and lost 43-7.
In the other game in round five at the weekend, Clovers defeated Brython 29-12 with a bonus point in Cork on Sunday.
It all means that, halfway through the regular season run of 10 games with four sides from six then progressing to the semi-finals, Wolfhounds from Ireland lead the way with 25 points from 25, Gwalia from Wales are second on 22, Clovers from Ireland are third on 19, Glasgow are fourth on 9, Edinburgh are fifth on 5 and Brython from Wales are bottom on one.
Highland-Wigtownshire is pictured – thanks to Highland