21-05-2025
Head coach bursting with joy after dramatic cup win
Buckingham Swans 2nds head coach Michael Clark was bursting with joy after watching his side capture the Papa Johns Women's Junior Cup with a dramatic 33-27 victory over Winscombe Ladies at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Having led for most of the match, Swans found themselves behind with less than a minute left on the clock but had Carys Coletta to thank after the fly-half dotted down at the death to secure the trophy for her side.
A jubilant Clark was full of praise for his side and was unequivocal in stressing just how much victory in the competition would mean to the future of Swans - who are partnered with Premiership Women's Rugby outfit Loughborough Lightning.
He said: 'I'm ecstatic in the way that we did it. To lead for most of the game and then to concede a try with two minutes until the end and then to nick it at the death is unbelievable.
'Our partnership with Lightning is fantastic and what this does is attract more young talent and you can see that in the balance of the team.
'Some of them have had Championship experience and I'm sure off the back of this some of them will get more game time.'
The Papa Johns Community Cup is a year-long festival of community rugby and was part of the season restructure in 2023, where player feedback indicated a preference to condense the league season and create a cup competition after the regular league season had ended.
Through the Papa Johns Community Cup, many clubs were able to play different opposition and visit new places, while others reignited old local rivalries, all making plenty of memories along the way.
Clark added: 'We spoke all week about the occasion and I have tried to not let it get the better of us and just keeping heads cool and calm but it is brilliant.
'We spoke about having a legacy this season and the second team holding up for themselves. They've won their league and they've won the cup now and it shows that we value the second team players as much as the players in the first team so we're in a fantastic place with our women and girls' section.'
