Old Albanian's Lily Staniford believes a hearty breakfast made all the difference in her side’s memorable Twickenham victory on Papa Johns Community Cup finals day.

Player of the Match and second row Staniford produced a heroic display in a 12-7 Old Albanian victory over Lichfield at a sun-drenched home of rugby for the Women's Intermediate Cup title. 

After losing twice to Lichfield in the league, victory on hallowed turf was the perfect way to end the season and a marker of the side’s continued improvement.

“I’m overwhelmed to get player of the match," she said. "It feels amazing.

“We’ll go have a party now and I’m very excited but very exhausted.

“Lichfield gave it to us until the very last minute so we dug deep and whichever team could hold out until the end would win and I’m very proud that it was my team which did that.

“The first time we lost to them was by quite a margin but in the second game, there was just one try in it.

"Now we’ve come out on top in the best circumstances, so we’ll call that revenge.”

A cagey first half saw just the one try scored, Lichfield making the most of a two on one out wide as full-back Eleanor Udall set up wing Hattie Roberts, Udall adding the extras.

The second half was a similar story with very little to split the sides.

Old Albanian got themselves on the board when Emily Eves’ pinpoint cross kick found Madelene Vaughan-Johncey, but an unsuccessful conversion attempt left Lichfield a nose in front.

Then with just two minutes remaining, centre Lucy Lawford-Wilby struck, sneaking round the blind side undetected to dot down for a dramatic victory.

Staniford pointed towards the team’s matchday meal as the key to victory.

“We had a captain’s run which we never usually do where we walked through our technical stuff and then we had a club breakfast together which really brought us together as a team,” she said.

“That was crucial because it fuelled us to really dig deep and go to the line.”

A year-long celebration of community rugby, the Papa Johns Community Cup has enabled clubs to play different opposition and visit new places, while others reignited old rivalries, all making plenty of memories along the way.

The finals weekend also saw other matches being held at Sixways Stadium, Shaftesbury Park and Darlington Mowden Park. 

“It was amazing, definitely once in a lifetime. Hopefully I’ll be back here again some time soon,” added Staniford.

“The whole set up, the way we prepared for the week leading up to it, I felt so special.

“We struggled in our first two games of the cup to get a grasp of what we were doing but once we got on a roll it was great and I’m really proud of everyone.”

For a round up of all the Papa Johns Community Cup Final action and to watch the games back follow @RFU on X or search for #PapaJohnsCommunityCup