Another packed weekend of sport awaits in south west London, with Women’s Super League heavyweights Chelsea Ladies turning their attention to the cup. Elsewhere, the rugby season is reaching a crucial stage. We look at where the best action is taking place across the area.
Chelsea Ladies’ season so far has been one triumph after another. With significant firepower in attack and a miserly defence, Emma Hayes has put together an extremely clinical side. The Blues will be eager to reclaim the WSL 1 title from Man City and the signs were clear in this year’s Spring Series that the team are firing on all cylinders.
After winning their first four league games, their hopes of making that five were cruelly dashed earlier this month when Magdalena Eriksson accidentally diverted the ball into her own net in the dying moments.
However, the team’s standout achievement so far this season is making the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time, having sensationally seen off Bayern Munich in the round of 32 before completely disposing of Rosengard.
Tomorrow, they face Yeovil Town Ladies in the Continental Tyres Cup. Since promotion in 2016, the Somerset outfit have found the step up in difficulty a massive challenge, losing all five WSL games so far this campaign and conceding 14 goals in the process.
This game is a bit of a damp squib, as the visitors have been eliminated from the competition with one match to play, while Chelsea will be as good as through if they win.
However, if you’re after goals, you won’t be disappointed.
London Scottish v Richmond
Sunday sees the Richmond derby, as London Scottish and Richmond clash in what should be a highly competitive game of Championship rugby at the Athletic Ground.
Neither side has pulled up any trees this campaign so far, but Richmond are likely to be the happier given this is just their second season in English rugby union’s second tier.
London Scottish however have experienced two years of mediocrity and things are so far looking worse for them in 2017/18. Dave Morris’ men are set to avoid relegation, but only Rotherham Titans separate them from a place at the foot of the table.
Scottish do have some momentum under their belt though, with narrow league wins against Cornish Pirates and most recently the Titans, the latter of which was settled by a last- gasp try from Craig Holland.
Richmond started November in a similarly positive vein, seeing off both Doncaster Knights and Hartpury before receiving a reality check at the hands of the Pirates.
Both sides are in contention to get to the knockout stages of the British & Irish Cup, but they will have to wait until next weekend to resume battle in that competition.
For now, the priority is league points and local bragging rights. It could be a cracker.
