The match began with strong attacking play and good ball movement from both sides. Richmond started out strongly, with sharp line breaks and powerful forward carries putting early pressure on the Saints. However, an early yellow card to captain Gabby Spencer in the 9th minute shifted momentum, allowing the Saints to capitalise with the game’s opening try in the 13th minute, converted for a 7-point lead.

A series of Richmond handling errors allowed OAs to stay on the front foot. By the 26th minute, the Saints had scored their second converted try to stretch their advantage to 14-0.

Richmond responded well with dominant carries from Jordan Heil and a superb break from Rebecca Kemball – who was impressive throughout the game – but were held out until the 39th minute. Relentless forward pressure eventually paid off as Caitlin Keefe crashed over from close range, with Courtney Treco converting (7-14). However, a late lapse saw the Saints reply almost immediately with their third try, sending Richmond into the break 7-21 down.

The second half saw Richmond come out firing. Catherine Teyssier’s sensational solo effort just two minutes after the restart – handing off multiple defenders – sparked new belief, cutting the gap to 12-21. But the Saints quickly hit back, scoring under the posts and converting.

Momentum swung again as Richmond’s forwards powered forward. Within minutes, Kemball finished off a dominant drive to score (49’), with Treco narrowing the gap to 19-28.

Richmond looked to be building toward a dramatic comeback. Tactical kicking, aggressive mauling, and smart ball movement pushed them repeatedly into the OA 22. A huge maul on 65 minutes broke them back into enemy territory, but a try from the Saints a minute later (66’) halted their resurgence.

Richmond kept pushing until the final whistle, with a charge-down and another promising break taking them within five metres of the line. While the final pass didn’t quite stick, the team kept the pressure on and continued to test the Saints defence right to the end. The Saints closed out the game with a penalty in the 79th minute to seal a commanding 19-36 win.

Despite the final scoreline, Richmond showed plenty of fight, flair, and resilience, particularly in the second half. Although it may not have been the result they wanted at the Allianz, the support from the stands was phenomenal, and some brilliant rugby was on display throughout the afternoon.

The team look to build on this and come back stronger next season under Ross Doneghan’s leadership.