ALLIANZ PREMIERSHIP WOMEN'S RUGBY: ROUND 18 PREVIEW

Round 18 marks the final weekend of the regular Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby season, with all four matches kicking off at the same time on Sunday afternoon.

While the top four teams have been decided, third place is still up for grabs while there is room for plenty of movement elsewhere as teams look to finish as high as possible.

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SUNDAY 2 JUNE

Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers - 3pm, Sandy Park

Exeter Chiefs head into the weekend knowing they can still clinch third place and that they must beat Leicester Tigers to make that dream a possibility.

Chiefs will also need Bristol Bears to drop points away to Sale Sharks, but the hosts will be keen to head into the play-offs on a winning note irrespective of where they end up.

Tigers will meanwhile have eyes on finishing their inaugural top flight season on a high with a win on the road.

There is a debut for Chiefs, as first year university student Connie Clarke starts on the wing while up front, DaLeaka Menin makes her 50th appearance.

Menin returns to the fold alongside a host of other American and Canadian players, with Gabby Cantorna in at inside centre and Hope Rogers joining Menin in the front row.

Tigers make four changes to their side, with Jade Jones and Keia Mae Sagapolu Sanele coming into the front row either side of Red Rose Amy Cokayne.

Eva Donaldson returns to the second row while Claire Gallagher is in at outside centre after returning from international duty with Canada.

Becky Noon is amongst the replacements for what will be her final Tigers game.

Team News

Exeter Chiefs

15 Merryn Doidge, 14 Kate Buchanan, 13 Kanako Kobayashi, 12 Gabby Cantorna, 11 Connie Clarke, 10 Alex Tessier, 9 Brooke Bradley; 1 Hope Rogers, 2 Emily Tuttosi, 3 DaLeaka Menin, 4 Linde van der Velden, 5 Poppy Leitch (c), 6 Ebony Jefferies, 7 Maisy Allen, 8 Maddie Feaunati

Replacements: 16 Cliodhna Moloney, 17 Hannah Sams, 18 Lizzie Hanlon, 19 Niamh Orchard, 20 Harriet Millar-Mills, 21 Edel McMahon, 22 Taz Bricknell, 23 Robyn Wilkins

Leicester Tigers

15 Amanda Swartz, 14 Tess Feury, 13 Claire Gallagher, 12 Sarah Nicholas, 11 Francesca McGhie, 10 Natasha Jones (c), 9 Amy Relf; 1 Jade Jones, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Keia Mae Sagapolu Sanele, 4 Eva Donaldson, 5 Charlotte Fray, 6 Morgan Richardson, 7 Roisin McBrien, 8 Tahlia Brody

Replacements: 16 Alana Bainbridge, 17 Leah Bartlett, 18 Georgie Grimes, 19 Julia Omokhuale, 20 Becky Noon, 21 Elis Martin, 22 Lucy Nye, 23 Katie Childs

Click here for match stats

Referee: Holly Wood. Assistant referees: Ian Bibey, Kevin Williams

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Harlequins v Trailfinders Women - 3pm, Twickenham Stoop

Neither Harlequins nor Trailfinders Women can reach the play-offs, but both sides will be determined to finish the season with a win with sixth-place at stake.

Just four points separate the pair, with Quins just ahead of their London rivals, and a win for either team will likely secure a finish above the other.

Quins will also look to give a fitting farewell to Shaunagh Brown, Rachael Burford, and Emily Scott who all start in their final games for the club.

Brown makes up a back row that also includes Amelia Harper and captain Jade Kinked, while vice captain Burford is paired in the centre with Lagi Tuima and Scott lines up at full back.

Trailfinders Women welcome back Abby Dow, Vicky Laflin, and Rosie Inman to the back three while Carys Cox also comes into the backline at inside centre.

Shya Pinnock earns a start in the second row alongside Tyson Beukeboom.

Team News

Harlequins

15 Emily Scott, 14 Jade Mullen, 13 Lagi Tuima, 12 Rachael Burford, 11 Lisa Neumann, 10 Ella Cromack, 9 Lucy Packer; 1 Silvia Turani, 2 Carys Phillips, 3 Babalwa Latsha, 4 Danelle Lochner, 5 Abbie Fleming, 6 Shaunagh Brown, 7 Amelia Harper, 8 Jade Konkel

Replacements: 16 Connie Powell, 17 Jessie Spurrier, 18 Hannah Duffy, 19 Tyla Shirley, 20 Nicole Wythe, 21 Flo Robinson, 22 Izzy Mayhew, 23 Katie Shillaker

Trailfinders Women

15 Vicky Laflin, 14 Rosie Inman, 13 Julia Schell, 12 Carys Cox, 11 Abby Dow, 10 Ellie Green, 9 Ella Amory; 1 Liz Crake, 2 Elisa Riffonneau, 3 Andrea Stock, 4 Tyson Beukeboom, 5 Shya Pinnock, 6 Megan Barwick, 7 Abi Burton, 8 Kate Zackary

Click here for match stats

Referee: Sara Cox. Assistant referees: Hamish Grant, Lionel Spooner

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Loughborough Lightning v Saracens - 3pm, cinch Stadium @ Franklin's Gardens

Helena Rowland returns for Loughborough Lightning's final Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby game against Saracens this weekend.

The fly-half has been out of action following a hand injury during the Guinness Women's Six Nations early this year, but returns to the starting line-up in their last game of the regular season.

Rowland's start in the number 10 shirt sees Helen Nelson switch to inside centre alongside Emily Scarratt, who makes her 40th Lightning appearance and Meg Davey who will make her 80th appearance at scrum-half.

Saracens will be looking to continue their momentum following a thrilling two-point victory over Gloucester-Hartpury last time out.

Akina Gondwe is the only mainstay from last week's starting front-row, as she is joined by Bryony Field, who starts against her former club and Donna Rose.

After her late inclusion last weekend, Sophie Bridger gets the nod to start at inside centre alongside Sydney Gregson whilst Sarah McKenna return to the squad to co-captain the side as fullback.

Team News

Loughborough Lightning

15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Bulou Mataitoga, 13 Emily Scarratt, 12 Helen Nelson, 11 Bo Westcombe-Evans, 10 Helena Rowland, 9 Meg Davey, 1 Isla Curphey, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Laura Keates, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Abby Duguid, 6 Rachel Malcolm (c), 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones (vc)

Replacements:  16 Maja Meuller, 17 Amelia Williams, 18 Tiwaah Adjei-Ansere, 19 Cath O'Donnell, 20 Hallie Taufoou, 21 Jenny Maxwell, 22 Lia Green, 23 Ellen Scantlebury

Saracens

15 ⁠⁠Sarah McKenna (Co-captain), 14 ⁠⁠Coreen Grant, 13 ⁠⁠Sydney Gregson, 12 ⁠⁠Sophie Bridger, 11⁠ ⁠⁠Paige Farries, 10⁠ ⁠⁠Zoe Harrison, 9⁠ ⁠⁠Leanne Infante, 1⁠ ⁠Akina Gondwe, 2⁠ ⁠⁠Bryony Field, 3⁠ ⁠⁠Donna Rose, 4⁠ ⁠⁠Louise McMillan, 5⁠ ⁠⁠Emma Taylor 6,⁠ ⁠⁠Georgia Evans 7,⁠ ⁠⁠Sharifa Kasolo, 8⁠ ⁠⁠Sophie de Goede (Co-captain)

Replacements: 16⁠ ⁠⁠May Campbell, 17⁠ ⁠⁠Carmen Tremelling, 18⁠ ⁠⁠Kesley Clifford, 19⁠ ⁠⁠Fi McIntosh, 20. ⁠⁠Grace Moore, 21 ⁠⁠Tori Sellors, 22 ⁠⁠Amelia MacDougall, 23⁠ ⁠⁠Isla Alejandro

How to Watch - TNT Sports, Discovery+ app

Click here for match stats

Referee: Harry Walbaum. Assistant referees: Neil Chivers, Mike Woods

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Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears - 3pm, Corpacq Stadium

Lark Atkin-Davies returns from injury to lock horns with Sale Sharks in Round 18 of Premiership Women's Rugby.

Atkin-Davies, who sustained a syndesmosis injury during the Six Nations, is named at hooker for the trip up north, with Simi Pam and Nicola Beet, making her first league start for the club, completing the front row.

Gabriella Nigrelli starts at number eight with Rownita Marston-Mulhearn moving to the bench, while Ella Lovibond, named on the wing, is the only other change to the starting XV from last weekend’s bonus-point win at The Stoop.

Sale welcome Bristol to their final home game of the year at Heywood Road with a northern roar expected.

Detysha Harper, Niamh Swailes and Nick James make up the front row as Georgie Perris-Redding co-captains alongside Lauren Delany.

Fullback Vicky A Irwin is partnered in the back three by Holly Thorpe and Beatrice Rigoni as Sale do battle in their final game of the season.

Team News

Sale Sharks

15 Vicky A Irwin, 14 Holly Thorpe, 13 Beatrice Rigoni, 12 Laura Perrin, 11 Lauren Delany (CC), 10 Sarah Law, 9 Sian Jones, 1 Detysha Harper, 2 Niamh Swailes, 3 Nick James, 4 Eric Jarrell, 5 Sara Tounesi, 6 Vicky E Irwin, 7 Georgie Perris-Redding (CC), 8 Morwenna Talling

Replacements: 16 Amber Schonert, 17 Anne Young, 18 Catie Benson, 19 Elizabeth Shermer, 20 Jo Brown, 21 Jess Taylor-Roberts, 22 Mino Yamamoto, 23 Nikita Prothero

Bristol Bears

15⁠ ⁠Jenny Hesketh, 14⁠ ⁠Reneeqa Bonner, 13⁠ ⁠Phoebe Murray, 12⁠ ⁠Holly Aitchison, 11⁠ ⁠Ella Lovibond, 10⁠ ⁠Amber Reed (cc), 9⁠ ⁠Keira Bevan, 1⁠ ⁠Simi Pam, 2⁠ ⁠Rosie Carr, 3⁠ ⁠Nicola Beet, 4⁠ ⁠Delaney Burns, 5⁠ ⁠Abbie Ward (cc), 6⁠ ⁠Alisha Joyce-Butchers, 7 ⁠Evie Gallagher, 8⁠ ⁠Gabriella Nigrelli.

Replacements: 16⁠ ⁠Rosie Carr, 17 ⁠Holly Phillips, 18⁠ ⁠Ellie Marston-Mulhearn, 19⁠ ⁠Hollie Cunningham, 20⁠ ⁠ Row Marston-Mulhearn, 21⁠ ⁠Lucy Burgess, 22⁠ ⁠Meryl Smith, 23⁠ ⁠Millie David

Click here for match stats

Referee: Richard Gordon. Assistant referees: Nikki O'Donnell, Gregg Dawson