Preview: PWR Up Series Round 2 packed with intrigue

Following an enthralling opening weekend of the PWR Up Series, three new teams enter the fray in round two.

Loughborough Lightning, Trailfinders Women and Exeter Chiefs all hit the ground running, while this week Saracens, Bristol Bears and Leicester Tigers will all make their debuts in the competition.

The action begins on Saturday with a London derby between Harlequins and Sarries, with Tigers welcoming Sale Sharks shortly after.

Then on Sunday, Bristol Bears head to Sandy Park to take on a Chiefs side brimming with confidence following their opening success.

Saturday 14 September

Harlequins v Saracens

12pm, Twickenham Stoop

Harlequins suffered a late defeat away to Trailfinders Women in their opening fixture, going down 40-33, but will be desperate to bounce back against Saracens.

Cup winners a year ago, Sarries have firepower throughout their team including long-time Red Roses back Sarah McKenna, who starts at inside centre, while rising star Amelia MacDougall will pull the strings at fly-half.

Lotte Sharp and May Campbell will be the co-captains, while the Cleall sisters are waiting in the wings to make an impact off the bench.

Quins, meanwhile, are putting out a similar team to the one that came so close against Trailfinders.

Lagi Tuima captains the side once again in the midfield, although she has a new centre partner in Sarah Parry.

Freya Aucken and Ella Cromack will form a young half-back pairing as Quins look to get back to winning ways.

In the back three, there are two new faces as Lauren Torley and Grace Crompton come into the starting XV, fresh from representing Team GB at the Olympics in Paris this summer.

Team news

Harlequins

15 Lauren Torley, 14 Grace Crompton, 13 Sarah Parry, 12. Lagi Tuima (c), 11 Katie Shillaker, 10 Ella Cromack, 9 Freya Aucken, 1 Jessie Spurrier, 2 Maja Meuller, 3 Lizzie Hanlon, 4 Tyla Shirley, 5 Lauren Brooks, 6 Nicole Wythe, 7 Izzy Hannay, 8 Harriet Millar-Mills

Replacements: 16 Nicola Haynes, 17 Sheree Cooper, 18 Hannah Duffy, 19 Lucy Heryet, 20 Maddy Page, 21 Tess Braunerova, 22 Orla Proctor, 23 Kirsty Hillier

Saracens

15 Jemma-Jo Linkins,14 Isla Alejandro, 13 Emma Hardy, 12 Sarah McKenna, 11 Lotte Sharp (cc), 10 Amelia MacDougall, 9 Tori Sellors, 1 Akina Gondwe, 2 Bryony Field, 3 Carmen Tremelling, 4 Joia Bennett, 5 Sophie Tansley, 6 Lucy Lawford-Wilby, 7 May Campbell (cc), 8 Sharifa Kasolo

Replacements: 16 Daisy Fitzgerald, 17 Chloe Flanagan, 18 Bryony Cleall, 19 Poppy Cleall, 20 Cara Wardle, 21 May Goulding, 22 Flo Williams, 23 Lucy Biggs

Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks

12.30pm, Mattioli Woods Welford Road

Sale Sharks travel to Mattioli Woods Welford Road to take on Leicester Tigers after last week’s opening defeat to Loughborough Lightning.

Scrum-half Ella Acton is handed her debut and will link up with co-captain Lizzie Duffy in the half-backs, while Vicky A Irwin comes into the midfield.

Up front, there are minimal changes, with Tysh Harper sharing captaincy duties with Duffy in the front row, where she will pack down alongside England Under-20s standout Niamh Swailes.

Meanwhile, this game represents the start of a new era for Tigers, with Tom Hudson taking charge of the team for the first time in a competitive match.

Leicester’s first official win came against Sale, and they will be looking for more of the same in this PWR Up Series encounter.

Roisin McBrien captains the team from No.8 while there are five debutants in the starting XV as prop Ellie Smith, lock Eeva Pohjanheimo and flanker Jordan Russell all get their chance in the pack.

In the backline, Emily Henrich and Elin Beaver will both make their first appearances for the club at outside centre and on the wing respectively.

There are seven more players who could make their debuts off the bench, including new signings Nikki Simpson, Zainab Alema and Emma Mundy.

Team news

Leicester Tigers: 15 Amanda Swartz,14 Amelia Tutt, 13 Emily Henrich, 12 Katie Childs, 11 Elin Beaver, 10 Natasha Jones, 9 Amy Relf, 1 Ellie Smith, 2 Alana Bainbridge, 3 Keia Mae Sagapolu Sanele, 4 Eeva Pohjanheimo, 5 Charlotte Fray, 6 Jordan Russell, 7 Morgan Richardson, 8 Roisin McBrien (c)

Replacements: 16 Nikki Simpson, 17 Zainab Alema, 18 Jade Jones, 19 Leah Heath, 20 Tiana Gordon, 21 Jenny Maxwell, 22 Evie Wills, 23 Emma Mundy

Sale Sharks: 15 Nikita Prothero, 14 Sophie Hopkins, 13 Vicky A Irwin, 12 Laura Perrin, 11 Hollie Bawden, 10. Lizzie Duffy (cc), 9 Ella Acton, 1 Sophie Lewis, 2 Niamh Swailes, 3 Tysh Harper (cc), 4 Erica Jarrell, 5 Nina Moore, 6 Trudy Cowan, 7 Kay Searcy, 8 Jo Brown

Replacements: 16 Amelia Hyndman, 17 Amber Schonert, 18 Jess Panayiotou, 19 Iona Antwis, 20 Polly Bowman, 21 Madison Ridgway, 22 Willow Bell, 23 Izzy McGuire-Evans

Sunday 15 September

Exeter Chiefs v Bristol Bears

2pm, Sandy Park

Exeter Chiefs will look to make it two from two when they welcome Bristol Bears to Sandy Park, having racked up the points against Gloucester-Hartpury last weekend.

They have stuck with a very similar team to the one that ran out 47-14 winners away from home, with Poppy Leitch again captaining the side in the second row.

Taz Bricknell comes in at blindside flanker with Millie Whitehouse getting the nod at hooker. Sophie Langford has the task of replacing Gabby Cantorna, who is on WXV duty for the USA, with Katie Buchanan slotting onto the wing.

For Bears, flyer Reneeqa Bonner will captain the side for the first time, having impressed so much at the end of last season. She is part of an exciting backline that sees England Under-18s star Natalee Evans start at fly-half alongside Ellie Lewis.

There is experience up front, with Simi Pam and Ellie Marston-Mulhearn packing down at prop, while Christiana Balogun takes her place in the second row.

On the bench, long-time Red Roses duo Amber Reed and Lydia Thompson will provide plenty of experience, the latter joining Bears this season.

Team news

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Merryn Doidge, 14 Georgina Tasker, 13 Naomi Brennan, 12 Sophie Langford, 11 Katie Buchanan, 10 Liv McGoverne, 9 Lucy Nye, 1 Demi Swann, 2 Millie Whitehouse, 3 Hannah Sams, 4 Poppy Leitch (c), 5 Niamh Orchard, 6 Taz Bricknell, 7 Maisy Allen, 8 Emily Robinson

Replacements: 16 Kayleigh Priest, 17 Stef Evans, 18 Flo Long, 19 Ebony Jefferies, 20 Zara Feaunati, 21 Flo Robinson, 22 Ellie Cunningham, 23 Eilidh Sinclair

Bristol Bears: 15 Millie David, 14 Reneeqa Bonner (c), 13 Ella Lovibond, 12 Jenna De Vera, 11 Amy Coles, 10 Natalee Evans, 9 Ellie Lewis; 1 Simi Pam, 2 Jess Sprague, 3 Ellie Marston-Mulhearn, 4 Nicola Beet, 5 Christiana Balogun, 6 Jenny Herring, 7 Helene Caux, 8 Gabriella Nigrelli

Replacements: 16 Heidi Pashaei-Tarighoun, 17 Danyelle Dinapoli, 18 Darcy Reed, 19 Delaney Burns, 20 Row Marston-Mulhearn, 21 Tilly Ryall, 22 Amber Reed, 23 Lydia Thompson