The 2018 National Championship is underway!
The 2018 Sapphire Series will name the Women's National Champion for 2017 - will we see a fifth straight title from the ever-dominant Birmingham Lions, as the 7-on-7 format of Division One returns for a second year?
What can we expect from the new Division 2A? Where we see six teams take their first strides into 7-v-7 balling, an exciting expansion on the number of teams playing this format in previous years!
And then in 2B, we see the continuation of the traditional 5-on-5 game in a four-team, national conference, which includes newcomers to Sapphire for 2018, the Kent Exiles!
With a tightly packed schedule, beginning 3 February and culminating in National Finals tournaments on 17 March, this is the largest and likely most hotly contested Sapphire Series to date!
Iceni Spears Seeking Support to Expand Women’s Football in Norfolk | Aviva Community Fund
Yesterday we took at a look at the East Kilbride Pirates’ efforts to host a valuable training camp for their
Standings
Division One: North
| Team | Won | Lost | Tie | PFor | PAgt | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leeds Chargers | 5 | 1 | 291 | 86 | 16 | |
| Manchester Titans | 3 | 3 | 169 | 111 | 12 | |
| Edinburgh Wolves | 2 | 4 | 74 | 201 | 10 | |
| East Kilbride Pirates | 0 | 6 | 28 | 398 | 6 |
Division One: South
| Team | Won | Lost | Tie | PFor | PAgt | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Lions | 6 | 0 | 269 | 60 | 18 | |
| London Warriors | 4 | 2 | 200 | 76 | 14 | |
| Hertfordshire Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 102 | 159 | 12 | |
| Derby Braves | 1 | 5 | 92 | 120 | 8 |
Division 2A: North
| Team | Won | Lost | Tie | PFor | PAgt | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandwell Steelers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 97 | 53 | 9 |
| Chester Romans | 2 | 1 | 1 | 68 | 79 | 9 |
| Teesside Steelers (--) | 1 | 3 | 28 | 30 | 6 |
Division 2A: South
| Team | Won | Lost | Tie | PFor | PAgt | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth Dreadnoughts (+) | 4 | 0 | 77 | 9 | 12 | |
| Wembley Stallions (+) | 2 | 2 | 47 | 40 | 8 | |
| Cardiff Valkyries | 0 | 4 | 44 | 147 | 4 |
Division 2B: National
| Team | Won | Lost | Tie | PFor | PAgt | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent Exiles | 4 | 0 | 128 | 44 | 12 | |
| Oxford Saints | 3 | 1 | 122 | 55 | 10 | |
| Peterborough Royals | 1 | 3 | 46 | 107 | 6 | |
| Staffordshire Saxons | 0 | 4 | 25 | 115 | 4 |
Fixtures
| Date | Div | Conf | Tourn | Venue | Team | Score | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 February 2018 | 1 | North | 1 | Edinburgh | East Kilbride Pirates | 0-63 | Manchester Titans |
| 03 February 2018 | 1 | North | 1 | Edinburgh | Leeds Chargers | 46-7 | Edinburgh Wolves |
| 03 February 2018 | 1 | North | 1 | Edinburgh | Manchester Titans | 29-6 | Edinburgh Wolves |
| 03 February 2018 | 1 | North | 1 | Edinburgh | East Kilbride Pirates | 0-95 | Leeds Chargers |
| 03 February 2018 | 1 | South | 1 | Hertfordshire | Hertfordshire Tornadoes | 26-13 | Derby Braves |
| 03 February 2018 | 1 | South | 1 | Hertfordshire | London Warriors | 6-28 | Birmingham Lions |
| 03 February 2018 | 1 | South | 1 | Hertfordshire | Hertfordshire Tornadoes | 4-43 | London Warriors |
| 03 February 2018 | 1 | South | 1 | Hertfordshire | Birmingham Lions | 42-22 | Derby Braves |
| 10 February 2018 | 1 | North | 2 | Leeds | East Kilbride Pirates | 19-34 | Edinburgh Wolves |
| 10 February 2018 | 1 | North | 2 | Leeds | Leeds Chargers | 43-12 | Manchester Titans |
| 10 February 2018 | 1 | North | 2 | Leeds | Manchester Titans | 53-2 | East Kilbride Pirates |
| 10 February 2018 | 1 | North | 2 | Leeds | Edinburgh Wolves | 0-61 | Leeds Chargers |
| 10 February 2018 | 1 | South | 2 | Birmingham | Hertfordshire Tornadoes | 11-61 | Birmingham Lions |
| 10 February 2018 | 1 | South | 2 | Birmingham | London Warriors | 15-6 | Derby Braves |
| 10 February 2018 | 1 | South | 2 | Birmingham | London Warriors | 35-6 | Hertfordshire Tornadoes |
| 10 February 2018 | 1 | South | 2 | Birmingham | Derby Braves | 0-18 | Birmingham Lions |
| 10 February 2018 | 2A | North | 1 | Chester | Chester Romans | 8-14 | Sandwell Steelers |
| 10 February 2018 | 2A | North | 1 | Chester | Sandwell Steelers | 8-13 | Teesside Steelers |
| 10 February 2018 | 2A | North | 1 | Chester | Teesside Steelers | 15-22 | Chester Romans |
| 10 February 2018 | 2A | South | 1 | Portsmouth | Portsmouth Dreadnoughts | 13-0 | Wembley Stallions |
| 10 February 2018 | 2A | South | 1 | Portsmouth | Wembley Stallions | 35-0 | Cardiff Valkyries |
| 10 February 2018 | 2A | South | 1 | Portsmouth | Cardiff Valkyries | 0-32 | Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
| 10 February 2018 | 2B | National | 1 | Kent | Peterborough Royals | 0-26 | Oxford Saints |
| 10 February 2018 | 2B | National | 1 | Kent | Staffordshire Saxons | 0-32 | Kent Exiles |
| 10 February 2018 | 2B | National | 1 | Kent | Oxford Saints | 26-7 | Staffordshire Saxons |
| 10 February 2018 | 2B | National | 1 | Kent | Kent Exiles | 25-12 | Peterborough Royals |
| 24 February 2018 | 1 | Cross-Conference | 3 | Derby | London Warriors | 13-32 | Leeds Chargers |
| 24 February 2018 | 1 | Cross-Conference | 3 | Derby | Manchester Titans | 2-32 | Derby Braves |
| 24 February 2018 | 1 | Cross-Conference | 3 | Derby | Edinburgh Wolves | 7-27 | Hertfordshire Tornadoes |
| 24 February 2018 | 1 | Cross-Conference | 3 | Derby | Birmingham Lions | 66-7 | East Kilbride Pirates |
| 24 February 2018 | 1 | Cross-Conference | 3 | Derby | East Kilbride Pirates | 0-88 | London Warriors |
| 24 February 2018 | 1 | Cross-Conference | 3 | Derby | Derby Braves | 19-20 | Edinburgh Wolves |
| 24 February 2018 | 1 | Cross-Conference | 3 | Derby | Leeds Chargers | 14-54 | Birmingham Lions |
| 24 February 2018 | 1 | Cross-Conference | 3 | Derby | Hertfordshire Tornadoes | 28-10 | Manchester Titans |
| 24 February 2018 | 2A | Cross-Conference | 2 | Sandwell | Chester Romans | 29-24 | Cardiff Valkyries |
| 24 February 2018 | 2A | Cross-Conference | 2 | Sandwell | Sandwell Steelers | 27-12 | Wembley Stallions |
| 24 February 2018 | 2A | Cross-Conference | 2 | Sandwell | Teesside Steelers | 0-1 | Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
| 24 February 2018 | 2A | Cross-Conference | 2 | Sandwell | Portsmouth Dreadnoughts | 32-9 | Chester Romans |
| 24 February 2018 | 2A | Cross-Conference | 2 | Sandwell | Cardiff Valkyries | 20-51 | Sandwell Steelers |
| 24 February 2018 | 2A | Cross-Conference | 2 | Sandwell | Wembley Stallions | 1-0 | Teesside Steelers |
| 24 February 2018 | 2B | National | 2 | Peterborough | Staffordshire Saxons | 12-16 | Peterborough Royals |
| 24 February 2018 | 2B | National | 2 | Peterborough | Oxford Saints | 26-30 | Kent Exiles |
| 24 February 2018 | 2B | National | 2 | Peterborough | Peterborough Royals | 18-44 | Oxford Saints |
| 24 February 2018 | 2B | National | 2 | Peterborough | Kent Exiles | 41-6 | Staffordshire Saxons |
| 3 March 2018 | 1 | North | 4 | East Kilbride | Edinburgh Wolves | VOID | East Kilbride Pirates |
| 3 March 2018 | 1 | North | 4 | East Kilbride | Manchester Titans | VOID | Leeds Chargers |
| 3 March 2018 | 1 | North | 4 | East Kilbride | Edinburgh Wolves | VOID | Manchester Titans |
| 3 March 2018 | 1 | North | 4 | East Kilbride | Leeds Chargers | VOID | East Kilbride Pirates |
| 3 March 2018 | 1 | South | 4 | London | Birmingham Lions | VOID | London Warriors |
| 3 March 2018 | 1 | South | 4 | London | Derby Braves | VOID | Hertfordshire Tornadoes |
| 3 March 2018 | 1 | South | 4 | London | Birmingham Lions | VOID | Hertfordshire Tornadoes |
| 3 March 2018 | 1 | South | 4 | London | Derby Braves | VOID | London Warriors |
| 3 March 2018 | 2A | North | 3 | Teesside | Chester Romans | VOID | Sandwell Steelers |
| 3 March 2018 | 2A | North | 3 | Teesside | Sandwell Steelers | VOID | Teesside Steelers |
| 3 March 2018 | 2A | North | 3 | Teesside | Teesside Steelers | VOID | Chester Romans |
| 3 March 2018 | 2A | South | 3 | Wembley | Portsmouth Dreadnoughts | VOID | Wembley Stallions |
| 3 March 2018 | 2A | South | 3 | Wembley | Wembley Stallions | VOID | Cardiff Valkyries |
| 3 March 2018 | 2A | South | 3 | Wembley | Cardiff Valkyries | VOID | Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
| 3 March 2018 | 2B | National | 3 | Staffordshire | Oxford Saints | VOID | Staffordshire Saxons |
| 3 March 2018 | 2B | National | 3 | Staffordshire | Peterborough Royals | VOID | Kent Exiles |
| 3 March 2018 | 2B | National | 3 | Staffordshire | Staffordshire Saxons | VOID | Peterborough Royals |
| 3 March 2018 | 2B | National | 3 | Staffordshire | Kent Exiles | VOID | Oxford Saints |
| 17 March 2018 | 1 | Gold | Semi-Finals | Manchester | Manchester Titans | 2-42 | Birmingham Lions |
| 17 March 2018 | 1 | Gold | Semi-Finals | Manchester | Leeds Carnegie Chargers | 34-14 | London Warriors |
| 17 March 2018 | 1 | Gold | 3rd Place Playoff | Manchester | London Warriors | 34-0 | Manchester Titans |
| 17 March 2018 | 1 | Gold | National Championship | Manchester | Leeds Carnegie Chargers | 22-40 | Birmingham Lions |
| 17 March 2018 | 1 | Silver | Round One | Manchester | Edinburgh Wolves | 6-43 | Derby Braves |
| 17 March 2018 | 1 | Silver | Round one | Manchester | Hertfordshire Tornadoes | 36-0 | East Kilbride Pirates |
| 17 March 2018 | 1 | Silver | 7th place Playoff | Manchester | Edinburgh Wolves | 27-8 | East Kilbride Pirates |
| 17 March 2018 | 1 | Silver | 5th place playoff | Manchester | Derby braves | 33-36 | Hertfordshire Tornadoes |
| 17 March 2018 | 2A | Championship Final | Round One | Sandwell | Chester Romans | 32-13 | Cardiff Valkyries |
| 17 March 2018 | 2A | Championship Final | Round One | Sandwell | Wembley Stallions | 19-9 | Teesside Cougars |
| 17 March 2018 | 2A | Championship Final | Round Two | Sandwell | Portsmouth Dreadnoughts | 26-0 | Chester Romans |
| 17 March 2018 | 2A | Championship Final | Round Two | Sandwell | Sandwell Steelers | 27-7 | Wembley Stallions |
| 17 March 2018 | 2A | Championship Final | 5th Place Playoff | Sandwell | Cardiff Valkyries | 0-24 | Teesside Steelers |
| 17 March 2018 | 2A | Championship Final | 3rd Place Playoff | Sandwell | Chester Romans | 0-27 | Wembley Stallions |
| 17 March 2018 | 2A | Championship Final | 2A Final | Sandwell | Sandwell Steelers | 14-18 | Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
| 17 March 2018 | 2B | Championship Final | Round One | Oxford | Kent Exiles | 32-0 | Staffordshire Saxons |
| 17 March 2018 | 2B | Championship Final | Round One | Oxford | Oxford Saints | 41-06 | Peterborough Royals |
| 17 March 2018 | 2B | Championship Final | 3rd Place Playoff | Oxford | Staffordshire Saxons | 6-29 | Peterborough Royals |
| 17 March 2018 | 2B | Championship Final | 2B Final | Oxford | Kent Exiles | 18-42 | Oxford Saints |