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THE LEAGUE RETURNS: ROUND 15 PREVIEW
Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby returns this weekend for the business end of the season as only four league rounds remain.
The race to the final heats up as crucial points are still to be won in the pursuit of a top-four finish.
Gloucester-Hartpury and recent Allianz Cup winners Saracens have already booked their tickets to the semi-finals while Exeter Chiefs and Bristol Bears also close in as teams vie for the home advantage.
Round 15 will see Loughborough Lightning host the defending champions in front of TNT cameras this Sunday, while squads across the Premiership will be packed with international talent fresh from Six Nations duty.
Saturday 11 May
Saracens v Sale Sharks – 2:30pm, StoneX Stadium
Saracens are holding no punches as they return to league duty just a fortnight after securing Allianz Cup silverware.
11 Women's Six Nations stars will be welcomed back to the field as Sarries look to strengthen their bid for the double.
For their clash with Sale, Red Roses captain Marlie Packer will shift to No. 8 as Cup final Player of the Match Sharifa Kasolo and Wales international Georgia Evans complete the back row.
Ella Wyrwas and Zoe Harrison form an all-England half-back pair, marking Wyrwas’ first start since returning from injury.
The Northerners are not short of their own international returnees, however.
Playmaker Beatrice Rigoni slots into the midfield while her Italy teammate Sara Tounesi also features at lock.
Scotland’s Rachel McLachlan comes in at flanker and is joined in the back row by Jo Brown and Red Rose Morwenna Talling.
Team news
Saracens
15 Sarah McKenna, 14 Coreen Grant, 13 Sydney Gregson, 12 Sophie Bridger, 11 Jess Breach, 10 Zoe Harrison, 9 Ella Wyrwas; 1 Akina Gondwe, 2 May Campbell, 3 Kelsey Clifford, 4 Fi McIntosh, 5 Emma Taylor, 6 Georgia Evans, 7 Sharifa Kasolo, 8 Marlie Packer (C)
Replacements: 16 Bryony Field, 17 Carmen Tremelling, 18 Donna Rose, 19 Louise McMillan, 20 Grace Moore, 21 Leanne Infante, 22 Amelia MacDougall, 23 Isla Alejandro
Sale Sharks
15 Lauren Delany (c ), 14 Holly Thorpe, 13 Beatrice Rigoni, 12 Laura Perrin, 11 Hollie Bawden, 10 Sarah Law, 9 Sian Jones; 1 Molly Wright, 2 Niamh Swailes, 3 Detysha Harper, 4 Elizabeth Shermer, 5 Sara Tounesi, 6 Jo Brown, 7 Rachel McLachlan, 8 Morwenna Talling
Replacements: 16 Amelia Hyndman, 17 Anne Young, 18 Nick James, 19 Iona Antwis, 20 Alycia Washington, 21 Mhairi Grieve, 22 Vicky A Irwin, 23 Nikita Prothero
Where to watch
Saracens will livestream the full game on their YouTube channel
Match stats
Check out all the pre-match stats by clicking here.
Buzzing to be back! 😍#YourSaracens💫@SQREEM_AI#InsideTraining pic.twitter.com/s00JGNUIBf
— Saracens Women (@SaracensWomen) May 10, 2024
Harlequins v Leicester Tigers – 3:00pm, Twickenham Stoop
Stalwart Shaunagh Brown will make her 100th appearance in the quarters as Harlequins host Leicester on Saturday.
After a difficult season, the West Londoners will be looking to finish well in the final rounds and this clash offers the perfect opportunity as they return to the Stoop for the first time since February.
Captain Jade Konkel makes her return to the league from injury while Brown brings up a century at openside flanker.
Quins will be without Red Roses flyer Ellie Kildunne in the final rounds as she joins up with the GB Sevens squad in their build-up to Paris 2024.
Leicester Tigers’ Megan Jones will also join her England teammate on the SVNS Series leaving Katie Childs to slot in at outside centre against Harlequins.
Celia Quansah will make her first appearance for Tigers on the wing while Scotland internationals Leah Bartlett, Elis Martin and Lisa Cockburn return to the front row.
Francesca McGhie will also be welcomed back from Six Nations duty while Scottish compatriot Eva Donaldson starts at lock.
Team news
Harlequins
1 Silvia Turani, 2 Connie Powell, 3 Babalwa Latsha, 4 Abbie Fleming, 5 Danelle Lochner, 6 Shaunagh Brown, 7 Emily Robinson, 8 Jade Konkel (c), 9 Lucy Packer, 10 Ella Cromack, 11 Lisa Neumann, 12 Lagi Tuima, 13 Izzy Mayhew, 14 Amy Layzell, 15 Emily Scott (vc)
Replacements: 16 Carys Phillips, 17 Sheree Cooper, 18 Hannah Duffy, 19 Ciara Cooney, 20 Aseza Hele, 21 Amelia Harper, 22 Flo Robinson, 23 Rachael Burford
Leicester Tigers
15 Amanda Swartz, 14 Celia Quansah, 13 Katie Childs, 12 Sarah Nicholas, 11 Francesca McGhie, 10 Natasha Jones (c), 9 Amy Relf; 1 Leah Bartlett, 2 Elis Martin, 3 Lisa Cockburn, 4 Eva Donaldson, 5 Charlotte Fray, 6 Morgan Richardson, 7 Roisin McBrien, 8 Becky Noon [33]
Replacements: 16 Alana Bainbridge, 17 Jade Jones, 18 Georgie Grimes, 19 Maddie Massey, 20 Tanya Bird, 21 Zoe Warrington, 22 Charlotte Daley, 23 Zoë Evans
Where to watch
Harlequins will livestream the full game on their YouTube channel
Match stats
Check out all the pre-match stats by clicking here.
Your Quins side to face Leicester Tigers on Access Day 🐯
— Harlequins Women 🃏 (@HarlequinsWomen) May 10, 2024
💯 up for Shaunagh Brown
🏴 Neumann on debut
🏟 Back at home
📲 https://t.co/loEZmWc2EN
📦 Delivered by @DHLRugbyUK#COYQ #HARvLEI pic.twitter.com/tjir2pmWNF
Trailfinders Women v Exeter Chiefs – 3:00pm, Trailfinders Sports Club
Trailfinders look to find their fifth win of the season tomorrow as they line up against Exeter Chiefs.
Abby Dow returns to the fold after an incredible Six Nations campaign, this time at outside centre.
In the pack, France’s Elisa Riffonneau and Ireland’s Shannon Ikahihifo and Andrea Stock are also welcomed back from international duty.
Exeter Chiefs will head to Trailfinders Sports Club also bolstered by Six Nations stars.
Lizzie Hanlon is selected in the front row after making her Red Roses debut at Twickenham last month and will be joined by Ireland hooker Cliodhna Moloney.
Several Chiefs players are away competing in the Pacific Four Series leaving the door open for youngsters Connie Clarke and Naomi Brennan to make their league debut from the bench.
Team news
Trailfinders Women
1 Liz Crake, 2 Elisa Riffonneau, 3 Andrea Stock, 4 Shya Pinnock, 5 Shannon Ikahihifo, 6 Amanda McQuade, 7 Megan Barwick, 8 Rowena Burnfield, 9 Emma Swords, 10 Ellie Green, 11 Liz Musgrove, 12 Abi Burton, 13 Abby Dow, 14 Rosie Inman, 15 Vicky Laflin
Replacements: 16 Kie Tamai, 17 Kira Leat, 18 Thea Sylvester, 19 Charlotte Chesire, 20 Lauryn Walter, 21 Ella Amory, 22 Sam Shiels, 23 Lauren Knowler
Exeter Chiefs
15 Merryn Doidge (vc), 14 Eilidh Sinclair, 13 Kanako Kobayashi, 12 Sophie Langford
11 Katie Buchanan, 10 Robyn Wilkins, 9 Brooke Bradley; 1 Demi Swann, 2 Cliodhna Moloney, 3 Lizzie Hanlon, 4 Linde van der Velden, 5 Poppy Leitch (c), 6 Ebony Jefferies, 7 Maisy Allen, 8 Harriet Millar-Mills
Replacements:16 Clara Nielson, 17 Lucy Ward, 18 Hannah Sams, 19 Niamh Orchard, 20 Maddie Feaunati, 21 Taz Bricknell, 22 Naomi Brennan, 23 Connie Clarke
Match stats
Check out all the pre-match stats by clicking here.
𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙙 ⚡️
— Trailfinders Women (@TrailfindersW) May 1, 2024
🌟 Join us on 11th May as our Six Nations Stars return to TFSC!
Tickets 🎟️ https://t.co/IJtUsoG0k2 #TFW 🟢⚪️ pic.twitter.com/gntl7Y3sQp
Sunday 12 May
Loughborough Lightning v Gloucester-Hartpury – 3pm, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens
Loughborough Lightning welcome back five Six Nations stars for their run out in front of TNT cameras this Sunday.
Sadia Kabeya packs down at openside flanker while Emily Scarratt features at outside centre.
Scotland’s Rachel Malcolm, Emma Wassell and Helen Nelson will operate from blindside flanker, lock and fly-half respectively.
Lightning will have to dig deep against the unbeaten Gloucester-Hartpury who travel to Franklin’s Gardens with their own international contingent.
Grand Slam winners Mackenzie Carson and Maud Muir are joined by Kelsey Jones in the front row while the international pedigree continues through Zoe Aldcroft, Bethan Lewis and Alex Matthews in the back row.
Red Rose Tatyana Heard partners captain and international rival Hannah Jones in the centres and Emma Sing slots in at full back.
Team news
Loughborough Lightning
15 Georgina Tasker, 14 Ellen Scantlebury, 13 Emily Scarratt, 12 Carmela Morrall, 11 Bo Westcombe-Evans, 10 Helen Nelson, 9 Lucy Weaver; 1 Amelia Williams, 2 Maja Meuller, 3 Laura Keates, 4 Emma Wassell, 5 Cath O’Donnell, 6 Rachel Malcolm (c), 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones (vc)
Replacements: 16 Lucy Calladine,17 Katie Trevarthen, 18 Isla Curphey, 19 Abby Duguid, 20 Kendall Waudby, 21 Sally Williams, 22 Megan Davey, 23 Lia Green
Gloucester-Hartpury
15 Emma Sing, 14 Mia Venner, 13 Hannah Jones, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Pip Hendy, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Natasha 'Mo' Hunt; 1 Mackenzie Carson, 2 Kelsey Jones, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Sarah Beckett, 5 Steph Else, 6 Zoe Aldcroft (cc), 7 Bethan Lewis, 8 Alex Matthews
Replacements: 16 Neve Jones, 17 El Perry, 18 Laura Delgado, 19 Sam Monaghan, 20 Georgia Brock, 21 Bianca Blackburn, 22 Millie Hyett, 23 Rachel Lund
Where to watch
Watch live on TNT Sport and the Discovery + app
Match stats
Check out all the pre-match stats by clicking here
Playing with Stephen Varney ➡️ Pulling the strings for Wales
— Premiership Women's Rugby (@ThePWR) May 10, 2024
Read about Lleucu George's journey here 👇#PWR | #PoweredDifferently | @allianzuknews @gloshartpury
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