Clapp welcomes challenge of improved kicking game

Captain Lotte Clapp insists she’s happy to continue in her dual role across SportsEvents Guide back three as they adapt to some cunning kicking from their rivals.

The 25-year-old was back on the wing last Saturday, scoring in victory over Gloucester-Hartpury but has also featured at full-back in the absence of Sarah McKenna this season.

Clapp has noticed a marked improvement in the way teams are varying their kicking strategy across the board in the Premier 15s this year.

And she believes their efforts to build a good chemistry in training are so far paying dividends.

“I’ve been going between 15 and 11 at the moment so we’re having to really work on our pendulum,” said Clapp.

"It’s always nice to get over the line"

“It’s something that we’ve been really concentrating on in training and it’s been going well.

“So many more of the women’s teams are starting to kick and kick really effectively, so it’s something we’re really working on as a team.

“It’s always nice to get over the line, especially as a winger you feel like that’s half your job to do but I think that’s the best we’ve played all season.”

After another slow start on Saturday, the Women in Black rallied to score four unanswered tries and take full control of the game going into half-time.

And Clapp, involved in two of those first-half scores, believes everyone needs to demand more from the start especially with a tough fixture with Wasps Ladies this weekend.

“We came out the blocks quite slowly and we need to wake up a bit more,” she added.

“When you see other people making those hits, bringing the aggression, bringing that physicality, as a team we came together and everyone started doing that.

“Obviously we’ll come together as a team. We need to do our analysis, work out where their [Wasps] strengths lie and how we can stop them doing what they do best from the start.”