Allianz Cup
ALLIANZ CUP: SEMI-FINALS AND PLAY-OFFS PREVIEW
The Allianz Cup returns this weekend for two semi-final showdowns as we enter the business end of the season.
Only one of last year’s finalists will progress this time around as Pool B leaders Saracens host defending champions Exeter Chiefs on Saturday.
Saturday will also see Leicester Tigers take on Harlequins for the first of two seventh place play-off matches while Sale Sharks face Loughborough Lightning in the first leg of the fifth-place play-off.
Pool A leaders Bristol Bears bring down the curtain with their semi-final clash against Gloucester-Hartpury at Shaftesbury Park on Sunday.
SATURDAY 13 APRIL
Leicester Tigers v Harlequins (Mattioli Woods Welford Road) – 12:30pm
Tigers open the weekend against Harlequins in a seventh-place play-off after finishing bottom of Pool A.
Two players celebrate major milestones while the matchday squad features several changes since their last outing.
Jemima Moss will make her debut at lock and Roisin McBrien brings up her 30th appearance, becoming just the fifth player in club history to reach the figure.
Jade Jones and Alana Bainbridge return up front while Moss and Becky Noon feature alongside McBrien and Morgan Richardson in the back row.
In the backs, Amy Relf comes in at scrum-half and a new midfield partnership of Katie Childs and Sarah Nicholas will look to bolster their attack.
Zoë Evans and Molly Draycott are included as the starting wingers for the first time this season.
For Harlequins’ visit to the East Midlands, Amy Turner calls on Katy Mew for her first start of the season alongside Tyla Shirley in the second row.
Amelia Harper starts at flanker, returning from injury for her first game since 2022.
Team News
Replacements: 16 Tanya Bird, 17 Churchy Knight,18 Keia Mae Sagapolu Sanele, 19 Julia Omokhuale, 20 Tahlia Brody, 21 Lucy Nye, 22 Claire Gallagher, 23 Tess Feury
Harlequins: 15 Jade Mullen, 14 Izzy Mayhew, 13 Lagi Tuima, 12 Rachael Burford (c), 11 Amy Layzell, 10 Ella Cromack, 9 Flo Robinson; 1 Jessie Spurrier, 2 Rosie Dobson, 3 Hannah Duffy, 4 Katy Mew, 5 Tyla Shirley, 6 Emily Robinson (vc), 7 Amelia Harper, 8 Nicole Wythe,
Replacements:16 Sheree Cooper, 17 Eleanor Trezise, 18 Shaunagh Brown, 19 Lucy Heryet, 20 Aseza Hele, 21 Florence Neller, 22 Emily Scott, 23 Katie Shillaker
Finishing touches 💪
— Leicester Tigers Women's (@TigersWomens) April 12, 2024
🎟️ https://t.co/Eknjs4Jpru pic.twitter.com/y9ufwdx48c
Sale Sharks v Loughborough Lightning (CorpAcq Stadium) – 2pm
Lizzie Duffy makes her Sale Sharks return after six months on the sidelines as they welcome Loughborough Lightning to the North West for the first leg of the fifth-place play-off.
Duffy lines up at fly-half in a fresh-faced Sharks side that includes seven debutants across the match day squad.
Morwenna Talling also returns, packing down in the back row alongside Jasmine Hazel and Jo Taylor, with debutant Elizabeth Shermer ahead in the second row alongside Polly Bowman.
There are also first starts for Leah Brough, Sophie Hopkins, and Izzy McGuire-Evans in the backs.
Loughborough Lighting also welcome back some familiar faces as Jenny Maxwell makes her first start for the club in 25 months following a knee injury.
Maxwell lines up alongside Megan Davey in the half-backs, while England international Cath O’Donnell is in the second row with Lilli Ives Campion after the pair spent time in Red Roses camp.
Daisy Hibbert-Jones captains the side from No.8, while there are debuts for Lucy Calledine, Evelyn Clarke and Freya Greensmith.
Team News
Sale Sharks: 15. Izzy McGuire-Evans, 14. Sophie Hopkins, 13. Ellen Ramsbottom, 12. Leah Brough, 11. Evie Tonkin, 10. Lizzie Duffy, 9. Jess Taylor-Roberts, 1. Amber Schonert, 2. Marion Ridgway, 3. Detysha Harper, 4. Elizabeth Shermer, 5. Polly Bowman, 6. Morwenna Talling , 7. Jo Brown 8. Jasmine Hazell
Replacements: 16.Amelia Hyndman, 17.Jessica Panayiotou, 18. Alice Iwanejko, 19.Nina Moore, 20. Lucie Sams, 21.Willow Bell, 22. Minori Yamamoto, 23.Nikita Prothero
Loughborough Lightning: 15 Lia Green, 14 Freya Greensmith, 13 Lucia Linn, 12 Carmela Morrall, 11 Evelyn Clarke, 10 Megan Davey, 9 Jenny Maxwell; 1 Amelia Williams, 2 Lucy Calledine, 3 Catherine Wells, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Cath O’Donnell, 6 Abby Duguid, 7 Sara Svoboda, 8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones
Replacements: 16 Phoebe Andrews, 17 Steph Atkinson, 18 Tiwaah Adjei-Ansere, 19 Hallie Taufoou, 20 Abba Austin, 21 Ellie Roberts, 22 Sarah Smart, 23 Kaz Kacirkova
Saracens v Exeter Chiefs (2.30pm kick-off, live on YouTube)
Saracens include England internationals May Campbell and Bryony Cleall in their side to face Exeter Chiefs as they target a place in the Allianz Cup final.
The pair pack down alongside Sharifa Kasolo in the back row, while Akina Gondwe, Bryony Field, and Carmen Tremelling are charged with doing the damage up front.
Amelia Dougall and Tori Sellors combine for a youthful half-back pairing, with the experienced Sarah McKennna inside.
The bench contains a mix of youth and experience, with England international Leanne Infante joined by potential debutant Lucy Lawford-Wilby.
Chiefs welcome back Jodie Ounsley to their starting line-up, with hooker Clara Nielson also making a return.
There is a debut for Taz Bricknell in the back row, she joins Ebony Jefferies and Harriet Millar-Mills.
Ounsley is part of a back three alongside Brooke Bradley and Eilidh Sinclair.
Team News
Saracens: 15. Jemma-Jo Linkins, 14. Isla Alejandro, 13. Cara Wardle, 12. Sarah McKenna, 11. Lotte Clapp (Co-captain), 10. Amelia MacDougall, 9. Tori Sellors; 1. Akina Gondwe, 2. Bryony Field, 3. Carmen Tremelling, 4. Sonia Green, 5. Emma Taylor, 6. May Campbell (Co-captain), 7. Sharifa Kasolo, 8. Bryony Cleall
Replacements: 16. Nic Haynes, 17. Chloe Flanagan, 18. Lucy Lawford -Wilby, 19. Sophie Tansley, 20. Grace Moore, 21. Leanne Infante, 22. Flo Williams, 23. Lucy Biggs
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Brooke Bradley, 14 Eilidh Sinclair, 13 Merryn Doidge, 12 Sophie Langford, 11 Jodie Ounsley, 10 Robyn Wilkins, 9 Olivia Ortiz; 1 Demi Swann, 2 Clara Nielson, 3 Hope Rogers, 4 Linde van der Velden, 5 Poppy Leitch, 6 Ebony Jefferies, 7 Taz Bricknell, 8 Harriet Millar-Mills
Replacements: 16 Daisy French, 17 Abby Middlebrooke, 18 Hannah Says, 19 Nichola Friday, 20 Niamh Orchard, 21 Danielle Preece, 22 Harriette Bond, 23 Sammie Harris
It's @akinagondwe with the pre-match playlist on Saturday! 🔥
— Saracens Women (@SaracensWomen) April 12, 2024
Still time to join us. 👇️
🎟️: https://t.co/HhhjZGbjAi#YourSaracens💫 pic.twitter.com/DBrDVCmS1m
SUNDAY 14 APRIL
Bristol Bears v Gloucester-Hartpury (3pm kick-off)
Bristol Bears host Gloucester-Hartpury in the final clash of the weekend at Shaftesbury Park where one West Country side will book their place in the Allianz Cup final.
Phoebe Murray is in the midfield alongside Meg Webb on her debut, with Lucie Skuse recalled at fly half alongside skipper Lucy Burgess.
Ellie Marston-Mulhearn is another returnee, with Jess Sprague named at hooker and Simi Pam completing the front row.
Delaney Burns partners Hollie Cunningham in the engine room, while in the back row, Gabriella Nigrelli makes her comeback from injury alongside Claire Molloy and Rownita Marston-Mulhearn.
For Gloucester-Hartpury, Mia Venner returns to the squad for the first time since November after reporting for Red Roses duty and gaining full fitness.
Jordan Russell starts on the left wing with Lucia Scott on the right as Lizzie Goulden goes at fly-half and co-captains the side with Georgia Brock.
Trudy Cowan comes back into the side and is partnered by Siobhan McCarthy in the locks.
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
Gloucester-Hartpury: 15. Mia Venner, 14. Lucia Scott, 13. Pip Hendy, 12. Charlie-Mai Manns, 11. Jordan Russell, 10. Lizzie Goulden, 9. Bianca Blackburn, 1. El Perry, 2. Olivia Constable, 3. Cerys Hale, 4. Trudy Cowan, 5. Siobhan McCarthy, 6. Lola Whitley, 7. Georgia Brock, 8. Steph Else
Replacements: 16. Ellie Gilbert, 17. Kathryn Buggy, 18. Ranni Samuda, 19. Amy Dale, 20. Beth Stafford, 21. Tabitha Copson, 22. Jess Kershaw
Back on 🏡 soil on Sunday 🌱
— Bristol Bears Women 🐻 (@BristolBearsW) April 11, 2024
Who's joining us? 🙋♀️ pic.twitter.com/omOtNbN4oc
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