RYEDALE played its part in women’s domestic rugby union history on Saturday as Gloucester-Hartpury claimed a maiden Allianz Premier 15s title over West Country rivals Exeter Chiefs.

The Cherry and Whites eased to a 34-19 triumph in front of a record final crowd of 9,688 at the renamed Queensholm, with four former Malton and Norton youngsters in Rachel Lund, Tatyana Heard, Bianca Blackburn and Zoe Aldcroft on the winning side.

Gloucester, who had finished top of the league during the regular season, came out firing, taking the lead in the fifth minute when hooker Neave Jones profited from a line-out to cross the whitewash.

A yellow card to Sarah Beckett opened the door for Exeter to make their numerical advantage count, but Malton’s Lund restored her side’s lead shortly after.

Beckett returned to the field to score as Gloucester led 17-7 at the interval before both Lund and Claudia MacDonald were sin-binned - the Chiefs conceding a penalty try in the process.

Emma Sing’s penalty calmed Gloucester nerves before Kate Zackary was sin-binned for a try-saving tackle on Kirkbymoorside’s Heard, with Lisa Neumann then adding gloss to the scoreline late on.