ALLIANZ CUP: FINAL WEEKEND PREVIEW

The first silverware of the Premiership Women’s Rugby season will be handed out on Sunday, as Bristol Bears host Saracens in the Allianz Cup final.

Earlier in the day Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester-Hartpury will battle it out for third place while Harlequins and Trailfinders Women clash for seventh.

Before the Red Roses face France in a Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider, Super Saturday will also see the second and final leg of the fifth place play-off as Loughborough Lightning meet Sale Sharks.

SATURDAY 27 MARCH

Loughborough Lightning v Sale Sharks (cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens) – 2.30pm

Lightning end their cup campaign at home with a ten-point aggregate lead having won the first leg at Heywood Road 22-12 a fortnight ago.

Former Red Rose Laura Keates is in line to come off the bench for her Loughborough debut and she will be in familiar company with fellow capped internationals Cath O’Donnell in the second row and captain Daisy Hibbert-Jones at No.8.

Sale Sharks have introduced two debutants to their match day squad as Frankie Harvey comes in on the bench while Lucie Sams starts at blindside flanker.

Jess Taylor-Roberts will captain from scrum half backed up by vice captains Lizzie Duffy and Detysha Harper.

TEAM NEWS

Loughborough Lightning

15 Georgina Tasker (vc),14 Ellen Scantlebury, 13 Lucia Linn, 12 Carmela Morrall, 11 Bo Westcombe-Evans, 10 Lia Green, 9 Megan Davey; 1 Amelia Williams, 2 Lucy Calladine, 3 Catherine Wells, 4 Abby Duguid, 5 Catherine O'Donnell, 6 Kendall Waudby, 7 Sally Williams, 8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones (c)

Replacements: 16 Maja Meuller, 17 Isla Curphey, 18 Laura Keates, 19 Keevy Fitzpatrick, 20 Lucy Finch, 21 Lucy Weaver, 22 Emma Hardy, 23 Evelyn Clarke

Sale Sharks

15 Izzy McGuire-Evans, 14 Sophie Hopkins, 13 Ellen Ramsbottom, 12 Laura Perrin, 11 Evie Tonkin, 10 Lizzie Duffy (vc), 9 Jess Taylor-Roberts (c); 1 Detysha Harper (vc), 2 Niamh Swailes, 3 Nick James, 4 Elizabeth Shermer, 5 Iona Antwis, 6 Lucie Sams, 7 Jo Brown, 8 Alycia Washington

Replacements: 16 Amelia Hyndman, 17 Sophie Lewis, 18 Amber Schonert, 19 Nina Moore, 20 Jessica Panayiotou, 21 Mhairi Grieve, 22 Sarah Law, 23 Frankie Harvey

SUNDAY 28 MARCH

Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester-Hartpury (Sandy Park) – 12.30pm

After having their title defence thwarted by Saracens a fortnight ago Exeter Chiefs will be gunning for bronze at Sandy Park.

Susie Appleby has called upon a blend of experience and youth as four University of Exeter undergraduates, full-back Harriette Bond, wing Katie Buchanan, centre Sophie Langford, and No.8 Niamh Orchard, take to the field.

Buchanan makes her return after a month off with an ankle injury and spent this week in the Red Roses training camp for Le Crunch.

Gloucester-Hartpury also welcome back Emma Sing and Mia Venner from England camp for their clash with Chiefs.

Sing starts at full-back while Venner sits on the right wing.

Back rower Steph Else will share captain responsibilities with left wing Lizzie Goulden as the Cherry & Whites look to clinch third.

TEAM NEWS

Exeter Chiefs

15 Harriette Bond, 14 Eilidh Sinclair, 13 Merryn Doidge (vc), 12 Sophie Langford, 11 Katie Buchanan, 10 Robyn Wilkins, 9 Brooke Bradley; 1 Abby Middlebrooke, 2 Clara Nielson, 3 Hannah Sams, 4 Linde van der Velden, 5 Poppy Leitch (c), 6 Ebony Jefferies, 7 Taz Bricknell, 8 Niamh Orchard

Replacements: 16 Daisy French, 17 Demi Swann, 18 Panashe Muzambe, 19 Kate Smith, 20 Harriet Millar-Mills, 21 Lottie Dadds, 22 Danielle Preece, 23 Connie Clarke

Gloucester-Hartpury

15 Emma Sing, 14 Mia Venner, 13 Pip Hendy, 12 Charlie-Mai Manns, 11 Lizzie Goulden, 10 Millie Hyett, 9 Bianca Blackburn; 1 Kathryn Buggy, 2 Amy Dale, 3 Cerys Hale, 4 Trudy Cowan, 5 Siobhan McCarthy, 6 Lola Whitley, 7 Tabitha Cops, 8 Steph Else

Replacements: 16 Ellie Gilbert, 17 El Perry, 18 Laura Delgado, 19 Beth Stafford, 20 Gemma Bell, 21 Ranni Samuda, 22 Jordan Russell, 23 Jess Kershaw

Harlequins v Trailfinders Women (Twickenham Stoop) – 2.00pm

It’s all to play for as Twickenham Stoop plays host for the seventh place battle between Harlequins and Trailfinders Women.

Amy Turner has made two changes from the side who ran in five tries against Tigers two weeks ago.

Club captain and Scotland international Jade Konkel is named on the bench for her first game since sustaining an injury in November while Katie Shillaker starts on the wing and Amy Layzell shifts to full-back replacing Jade Mullen.

Springbok Aseza Hele moves into the starting XV at flanker.

Giselle Mather’s side sees five changes from last week’s victorious efforts against Tigers.

Cristina Blanco returns from her European Rugby Championship campaign to start at hooker and Emma Swords replaces Sophie Molton at scrum-half.

Italian international Sofia Rolfi forms the midfield axis with Abi Burton and Vicky Laflin is promoted from the bench to full-back

TEAM NEWS

Harlequins

15. Amy Layzell, 14. Izzy Mayhew, 13. Lagi Tuima, 12. Rachael Burford (c), 11. Katie Shillaker, 10. Ella Cromack, 9. Flo Robinson; 1. Jessie Spurrier, 2. Rosie Dobson, 3. Hannah Duffy, 4. Katy Mew (vc), 5. Tyla Shirley, 6. Aseza Hele, 7. Amelia Harper, 8. Nicole Wythe

Replacements: 16. Sheree Cooper, 17. Eleanor Trezise, 18. Shaunagh Brown, 19. Ciara Cooney, 20. Jade Konkel, 21. Tess Braunerova, 22. Emily Scott, 23. Lucy Heryet

Trailfinders Women

15 Vicky Laflin, 14 Rosie Inman, 13 Sofia Rolfi, 12 Abi Burton, 11 Liz Musgrove, 10 Ellie Green, 9 Emma Swords; 1 Liz Crake, 2 Cristina Blanco, 3 Kira Leat, 4 Shya Pinnock, 5 Charlie Willett, 6 Amanda McQuade, 7 Megan Barwick, 8 Rowena Burnfield

Replacements: 16 Kie Tamai, 17 Andrea Stock, 18 Thea Sylvester, 19 Charlotte Chesire, 20 Lauryn Walter, 21 Ella Amory, 22 Sam Shiels, 23 Laila Hassan

Bristol Bears v Saracens (Shaftesbury Park) – 2.00pm

Dave Ward’s matchday line-up is set to be unchanged for Bristol’s maiden cup final.

Lucy Burgess will captain the side from scrum-half while Simi Pam continues to front up at loosehead after a Player of the Week performance in the semi-finals against Gloucester.

After toppling last year’s champions Exeter Chiefs, Sarries have a shot at redemption in the West Country.

Alex Austerberry has also named an unchanged starting XV for this dogfight as May Campbell and Lotte Clap share the captaincy.

England U20 stars Tori Sellers and Amelia MacDougall renew their half-back partnership having returned from international duty.

TEAM NEWS

Bristol Bears

15.⁠ ⁠Ella Lovibond, 14.⁠ ⁠Reneeqa Bonner, 13.⁠ ⁠Meg Webb, 12.⁠ ⁠Phoebe Murray, 11.⁠ ⁠Deborah Wills, 10.⁠ ⁠Lucie Skuse, 9.⁠ ⁠Lucy Burgess (c); 1.⁠ ⁠Simi Pam, 2.⁠ ⁠Jess Sprague, 3.⁠ ⁠Ellie Marston-Mulhearn (vc), 4.⁠ ⁠Hollie Cunningham, 5.⁠ ⁠Delaney Burns, 6.⁠ ⁠Gabriella Nigrelli, 7.⁠ ⁠Claire Molloy, 8.⁠ ⁠Row Marston-Mulhearn

Replacements: 16.⁠ ⁠Issy Jaques, 17.⁠ ⁠Esme Bird, 18.⁠ ⁠Nicola Beet, 19.⁠ ⁠Christiana Balogun, 20.⁠ ⁠Jenny Herring, 21.⁠ ⁠Helene Caux, 22.⁠ ⁠Ellie Lewis, 23.⁠ ⁠Grace White

Saracens

15.⁠ ⁠⁠Jemma Jo-Linkins, 14.⁠ ⁠⁠Isla Alejandro, 13.⁠ ⁠⁠Cara Wardle, 12.⁠ ⁠⁠Sarah McKenna, 11.⁠ ⁠⁠Lotte Clapp (cc), 10.⁠ ⁠⁠Amelia MacDougall, 9.⁠ ⁠⁠Tori Sellors; 1.⁠ ⁠Akina Gondwe, 2.⁠ ⁠⁠Bryony Field, 3.⁠ ⁠⁠Carmen Tremelling, 4.⁠ ⁠⁠Sonia Green, 5.⁠ ⁠⁠Emma Taylor, 6.⁠ ⁠⁠May Campbell (cc), 7.⁠ ⁠⁠Sharifa Kasolo, 8.⁠ ⁠⁠Bryony Cleall

Replacements: 16.⁠ ⁠⁠Nic Haynes,17.⁠ ⁠⁠Chloe Flanagan, 18.⁠ ⁠⁠Lucy Lawford- Wilby, 19.⁠ ⁠⁠Sophie Tansley, 20.⁠ ⁠⁠Grace Moore, 21.⁠ ⁠⁠Ella Wyrwas, 22.⁠ ⁠⁠Flo Williams, 23.⁠ ⁠⁠Lucy Biggs