GB Lions on The Road To European Gold

When the Great Britain Women’s team secured the Silver Medal at the 2022 World Championships it was definitely an inspirational moment in time. Interestingly, it inspired players in different ways. For a few of the longer tenured members of the programme it inspired them to go out at the top, they had been key members of the team, integral to its success, but it seemed like the right time to hang up their pads. Another group were that inspired by tasting silver, that they became determined to re-double their efforts to chase the ultimate prize of a gold medal. The third group were not members of the National Programme, they were British players who had started their Football journeys at one of the club sides around the country. They saw it, realised they could be it and were inspired to work hard to achieve it.

The first stop on the road to becoming the European Champions would be at the Sixways Stadium in Worcester where Great Britain would be hosting Sweden. The International Federation of American Football decided that rather than have a tournament format with a host nation and the whole thing happening over a single week, the Euros would be spread over two years and have a schedule of home and away games. When the GB roster for the game was announced it included ten international rookies. It also featured players from eighteen different teams, testament to head coach Chris Stone’s comprehensive recruitment structure, and also to the increasing popularity of the sport.

In the build up to the game I touched base with Phoebe Schecter to get her thoughts. “This year presents an exciting new format for our GB Women as we will host one game and play one away game. This year it will be Sweden and Germany respectively. The bar was set high at the Worlds and our staff and players are beyond excited to be able to perform in front of our country, at Sixways Stadium. These two games are against teams who have been building over the years and both have very different styles. We cannot wait to continue to test ourselves and showcase the incredible talent that there is across Europe.”

Phoebe Schecter knows what it takes to win

As the GB Women’s programme celebrates its tenth year it’s interesting to note that their first ever match was also against Sweden. That day in October 2013 saw them secure a 27-10 win. Their overall record against the Swedes before this latest game stood at three wins and one loss, that disappointing result was at the previous European Championships in Leeds in August 2019. They were hopeful that they would avenge that this time out and take their first step on the road to European Gold!

Captains for the day were Bo Steward, Siobhan Walker, Yasmin Cazeau and Victoria Ware, who were greeted by massive cheers from the sizeable home crowd as they strode to the centre of the field for the coin toss. Sweden guessed the outcome of the flip correctly, but as is commonplace currently, they deferred their option until the second half, meaning the GB offence would get the ball first.

A key change on the offence was Angelina Fisher of the London Warriors getting the start at quarterback, the former incumbent, the talented Sydney Green would be starting at linebacker (she plays that position for her club, the Birmingham Lions). After Ruth Matta returned the opening kick-off to the Swedish forty-two, Fisher took the first snap from rookie centre Ruby Watson, who at just seventeen years of age was the youngest player on the GB roster. Keeping the ball, Fisher ran for a five-yard gain, before Siobhan Walker swept left for a first down on the next play. The drive then stalled, forcing GB to punt the ball away, Green’s kick was downed at the Swedish one yard line by Emily Irvine, giving the GB defence the opportunity to put the pressure on the Swedish offence. Three incomplete passes later it was the Swedes turn to punt, lining up in their own endzone and under intense pressure the punter only managed to reach their own eighteen-yard line. Enter the GB offence, some great blocking up front to seal the edge created a wide-open lane, which Walker raced through untouched and into the endzone for the opening score. Samantha Reid nailed the PAT and it was 7-0. Just the start that Stone wanted. The crowd, who had already been vocal, now erupted into a cacophony of noise!

Walker opened the scoring and GB never looked back

Sweden’s Hedstrom returned the ball to her own twenty before being levelled by Cory Stevenson. Looking to establish a drive, quarterback Ewald attempted to scramble for some positive yards but was ushered out of bounds by a fast-closing Green. A delay of game penalty didn’t help, and the Swedes were forced to punt again. The Lions took over on the Swedish forty-two but a miscue between Fisher and Walker gifted the ball back to the Scandinavians. They didn’t make anything of the opportunity though, two false start penalties and a big tackle for a loss by Lucy Peaty had them punting again. Elusive returner Oli Davies snagged the kick and behind some key blocks, weaved her way to the four before being tackled. With the Swedish defence shifting to cover all the potential passing targets, tackle Tara Minto made a key block which opened the door for Fisher to bolt up the middle for the score. Reid was good with the kick again and halfway through the first quarter, the Lions had a two-score advantage, 14-0.

Fisher saw the gap and took full advantage to score

Sweden needed to get some consistency going on offence, but a relentless Lions defence had their number. Two incomplete passes were followed by a sack by Linebacker Bethany Pilkington and once again the punter took to the field. This time Davies bobbled the catch but managed to recover it. Despite Fisher connecting with Sophia Klair on a fourth down pass, the Lions offence were unable to move the chains and Sweden took over on downs from their own twenty-four. They immediately went to the air, however, Lucy Peaty was having herself a day and picked off the pass, giving the offence strong field position and the opportunity to extend the Lions advantage. A twenty-yard run by Matta was sandwiched between a high errant snap and an incomplete pass leading to Sweden taking over on downs again. It had been a messy end to the first quarter.

Sweden’s next possession followed a similar pattern to all their previous attempts, another tackle for a loss on third down, this time by Christina Ibironke, which forced them to punt. Starting at the Swedish forty-nine the Lions executed a textbook jet sweep for some chunk yards, with Walker benefiting from the blocking of Shay Okelola. Two plays later, it was classic Ruth Matta, Cazeau and Duncan opened a “barn door” and she turned on the jets, leaving would be tacklers in her wake all the way to the endzone. The PAT was unsuccessful, so the score was now 20-0 GB.

Matta in full flight

Sweden were having some success with their running game, but attempts to go to the air were proving to be their downfall. A floated pass hovered temptingly in front of DB Emily Mullen, who seized the opportunity and the ball, making the interception and returning it to the Swedes thirty-two-yard line. The Lions introduced Stephanie Wyant into the backfield and she carried for a first down, but then the drive stalled. Stone sent in the field goal unit, but disappointingly the kick went wide of the posts. Back in possession, Sweden attempted to run themselves out of trouble, but Zoe John had read the play well and delivered the tackle for a loss. It was time for another Swedish punt, which Davies returned to the Swedes twenty-three-yard line, giving the Lions great field position. Behind a classic pancake block by Cazeau, Matta took the ball down to the three, but on the next play a high snap put the Lions back on the twenty-three again, a short completion to Okelola and a defensive holding penalty had GB at first and goal. Emily Irvine was good for four yards and Matta was then pushed out of bounds at the one as the two-minute warning was given. A quick tactical switch saw Sydney Green come in under centre and she powered in for the score behind Watson’s drive blocking. This time the PAT attempt from Reid was good and with one minute and forty seconds left in the half the Lions held an impressive 27-0 lead.

The Defence were dominant with Lucy Peaty on fire

Sweden had one last chance to get some first half points on the board and were using their timeouts to manage the clock. Green had a tackle for a loss that meant we would see the familiar sight of the Swedish punt formation. However, the Swedes went for a fake, Peaty got the ball carrier to the ground but was adjudged to have used a horse collar tackle, giving Sweden an automatic first down just inside the Lions half. As if enraged by the call, Schecter delivered a big hit, and on the next play Bo Steward pancaked the Swedish tackle who was trying to block her, to finish the first half in style! The teams left the field with the cheers of the crowd ringing in their ears and the scoreboard confirming it was GB 27 – Sweden 0.

Sweden received the kick to start the second half and tried to establish their run game, but successive tackles by Ibironke and then Green forced the punt. Matta benefitted from a great block by Vanessa Mansaray to put the Lions at the Swedish fifteen. Fisher then handed off to Wyant who looked for the gap up the middle, but it closed, leaving her to bounce it outside and sweep in for her first GB touchdown! This time Reid’s PAT attempt was blocked leaving the score at 33-0 GB.

Wyant was delighted to get her first international touchdown and the game MVP award

The familiar pattern of three and out continued for the Swedes. With GB back in possession they mixed it up with a combination of runs and passes. It wasn’t going all the Lions way though, an incomplete pass was followed by a false start and finally an interception, giving Sweden the ball back. However, on the very next play Sweden fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Zoe John. A re-focused offence engineered a good drive that featured runs from Irvine for a first down and a big gain on a sweep from Walker behind the blocking of Duncan and Cazeau. The third quarter ended with the Lions once again threatening the Swedish endzone.

As the final quarter started coach Stone had no intention of taking his foot off the gas. A short run by Wyant was followed by a completion to Reid for a first down, but then some execution issues led to GB turning it over on downs. The Swedes were trying hard to get something positive out of the game and when a run right drew a generous flag for an out of bounds hit by GB linebacker Summer Rivers it looked like they might get into GB territory, but alas no. On the next play returning veteran defensive line stand out Laura Moore got the sack deep in the Swedish backfield. As the Lions took over Stone put in Vicki Lucas of the Kent Exiles at quarterback to make her international debut. Shortly after Wyant took the hand-off and sprinted forty-five yards to the endzone for her second score of the day to ice the game! Reid added the extra point to move the score to 40-0. Sweden had one last possession but ended up punting the ball. Lucas fed fellow rookie Kathryn Stanley who ran for positive yards and then completed a pass to Kenya Peters for a first down, before the head official signalled the end of the game.

Lucas takes up her position behind centre

It had been a comprehensive team victory in all phases of the game. Sweden never gave up, but they didn’t have the ammunition to cause the GB Lions many problems as evidenced by the six-touchdown shut out win.

Captain Bo Steward offered her thoughts. “Being on home soil, with a huge crowd, on a sunny day. They stage was set perfectly for us. The coaches have worked tirelessly to make sure every girl kitted up was prepared to make an input, and we did that. Defensively I think we were great, keeping a clean sheet against Sweden after losing to them in 2019 was a huge success. I played on the Defensive Line for the first time since 2017 and I couldn't have been happier to play with a more dominant group. We stuck to the game plan. To make history twice on the day was great, once with the biggest win of GBW history and secondly Ruby Watson was named the youngest ever to play with us at the age of seventeen. She is incredible, she plays Offensive Line and has grown around the dominant group that the GB Women have. It’s exciting to see all of the young talent, Chloe Southard is coming up through the ranks too, so look out for her.”

As the players and crowd celebrated the victory, thoughts began to turn to the next game in the tournament, away to Germany in May. Step two on the road to European Gold.

Images courtesy of Jody Davies Photography