Celtic Challenge 2025/25 Round 7: Brython's play-off hopes stay alive

After a weekend away the Celtic Challenge returned for a seventh round of pulsating action.

Wolfhounds were able to tighten their grip on top spot against Glasgow, Brython Thunder’s hopes of a top four finish got a boost in Llanelli and Clovers beat out their closest rivals.

There are now only three more rounds to go until the regular season ends. The fight for a home semi final is in full swing. As is the race for fourth.

Here is how things played out in Round 7 of the 2025/26 Celtic Challenge season…

Brython Thunder 33-14 Edinburgh Rugby

Brython Thunder’s hopes of reaching the Celtic Challenge play-offs gathered momentum with their 33-14 win over Edinburgh Rugby at Parc y Scarlets.

Now having won two games in a row, the side have moved to fifth in the table and are two points adrift of fourth-place Glasgow Warriors.

The Welsh team’s opening score came when Rhian Bowden was driven over at the back of a lineout maul. They were briefly pinned back by Nicole Marlow’s try, but retook the lead when the lineout provided a platform for Seren Lockwood to snake her way over the whitewash.

Thunder got their third of the contest when Edinburgh’s Hannah Walker was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on her own try line and a penalty try was awarded.

After the break, Seren Singleton pounced on a loose ball to secure the bonus point. Adelle Ferrie did strike back for the visitors, but the result was wrapped up when Stella Orrin’s break set up Lockwood’s second.

Gwalia Lightning 14-19 Clovers

Clovers maintained second place with this hard-fought win over Gwalia Lightning at Ystrad Mynach on Saturday afternoon.

Alana McInerney was Player of the Match in the contest and was a try scorer in the influential match-up.

After a competitive start in Caerphilly, Clovers took the lead when Aoife Corey latched onto a Siofra Hession pass.

Standing in for Caitriona Finn, 18-year-old Hession had a second try assist before the first 40 minutes concluded when she popped the ball to McInerney to cross the whitewash.

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To take a commanding lead, Niamh Murphy beat four Lighting defenders to dot down and allowed Hession a second conversion of the afternoon.

In the final 30 minutes Gwalia finally got their breakthrough with Courtney Greenway’s sixth try of the season and even saw Evie Hill burrow over from close range.

Glasgow Warriors 26-42 Wolfhounds

To maintain their 100 per cent record Wolfhounds scored six tries against Glasgow Warriors in Scotland.

It took just 10 minutes for the visitors to open the scoring through Katie Corrigan. Warriors did strike back through Briar McNamara, although Wolfhounds did take a commanding half-time lead with scores from Erin King and Naoise Smyth.

That 14-point lead became more unassailable after the break when Fiona Tuite and King dotted down as the Irish side locked in the try-scoring bonus point.

Glasgow did hit back with tries for Aicha Sutcliffe and Emily Coubrough. With India Daley in the sin bin, Aoibheann Reilly still managed to get her team’s sixth score of the afternoon,

Warriors did get their try scoring bonus point in the closing stages when Millie Warren got over the whitewash with the clock in the red.