PEOPLE can voice all the disapproval they like about women playing rugby, that it is not befitting of their feminine ways

But those open minded enough to watch the final of the Bread for Life cup at Vicarage Road before the men's game against Bath would surely have disagreed.

Saracens' women's dominance and their level of fitness and skill against Old Leamingtonians must have dismissed any doubting Thomases.

The women stamped their name in the history books with their fourth consecutive win in the cup, conceding just 12 points in the entire tournament, all coming in the final. They are on now course for the second treble in as many years. Who said anything about it being a man's world?

Chris Diver and Helen Clayton were the two women of the match, which was even more impressive as Diver, along with three other team mates, had flown in from England sevens duty in Hong Kong at 5am.

Diver's pace at full back put her male counterparts to shame as she pierced through the Old Leamingtonians' defence scoring in the 40th and 55th minutes.

For the first try she collected the ball in her own half and charged along the touch line, leaving defenders speechless with her awesome turn of pace.

From the back of the scrum in the 55th minute the ball was popped into her hands and she dived across the line for score number two.

Clayton, at flanker, ripped through the Midlands side in open play, also scoring in the 11th and 79th minutes, first bulldozing through on the break and, in the dying minutes, on hand for a Trudi Collins pass.

Saracens never looked in trouble as they scored eight tries to their opponents' two, the first coming just three minutes into the game.

Tries from Janis Ross, Clayton, Diver and Katie Rhymer left the women in black with a 22-0 lead at the break.

A Vicky Campbell score from Old Leamingtonians failed to rock the Sarries bandwagon as Diver, Ellie Green, Clayton and substitute Amanda Bennett notched up the points.

Celebrations from the players and the cheers of the crowd marked Saracens' first piece of silverware of the season. With a clear lead in the league and the sevens tournament to come, the treble beckons.

The women's game still lacks the pace of the men's and the professionalism but with the backing, both financially and from the fans, that it deserves, the game is bound to flourish.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.