PREVIEW: PWR UP SERIES ROUND 3

Round 3 of the inaugural PWR Up Series kicks off this weekend with three local derbies to match.

The action all takes place on Saturday with Bristol Bears getting us underway in a West Country showdown with Gloucester-Hartpury in a repeat of last season's PWR final.

London rivals Saracens and Trailfinders Women kick off at the same time while Loughborough Lightning face Leicester Tigers an hour later.

 

Saturday 21 September

Bristol Bears v Gloucester-Hartpury

2pm: Shaftesbury Park

Bristol Bears host Gloucester-Hartpury at Shaftesbury Park as both teams come into the clash off the back of defeats to Exeter Chiefs.

Meg Varley will make a long-awaited return in Bristol’s first home game of the season while Amber Reed is back at the helm as captain.

Gloucester-Hartpury look for their first win of the inaugural PWR Up Series bolstered by the return of senior players from the England fray, Rachel Lund and Emma Sing.

Millie Hyett shifts to No.12 as Carys Williams-Morris is set to make her first appearance for the Circus at outside centre.

Team news

Bristol Bears

15 Ella Lovibond, 14 Reneeqa Bonner, 13 Meg Varley, 12 Meg Webb, 11 Millie David, 10 Amber Reed (C), 9 Lucy Burgess; 1 Simi Pam, 2 Jess Sprague, 3 Ellie Marston-Mulhearn, 4 Nicola Beet, 5 Delaney Burns, 6 Christiana Balogun, 7 Jenny Herring, 8 Row Marston-Mulhearn

Replacements: 16 Heidi Pashaei-Tarighoun, 17 Issy Jacques, 18 Danyelle Dinapoli, 19 Helene Caux, 20 Tilly Ryall, 21 Seren Singleton, 22 Natalee Evans, 23 Jenna de Vera

Gloucester-Hartpury

15 Emma Sing, 14 Charlotte Woodman, 13 Carys Williams-Morris, 12 Millie Hyett, 11 Rachel Lund, 10 Charlie-Mai Manns, 9 Bianca Blackburn; 1 El Perry, 2 Lucy Simpson, 3 Ranni Samuda, 4 Steph Else (C), 5 Gwen Crabb, 6 Tabitha Copson, 7 Sophie McQueen, 8 Gwennan Hopkins

Replacements: 16 Amy Dale, 17 Alisha Smith, 18 Niamh Williams, 19 Robyn Davies, 20 Lily Terry, 21 Daisy Aspinall, 22 Ellie Green, 23 Abileigh Priestnall

Back on 🏡 soil!

Who's joining us at Shaftesbury Park? 🙋‍♀️#BRIvGLO | @huboofulfilment pic.twitter.com/Jz0MqNVACl

— Bristol Bears Women 🐻 (@BristolBearsW) September 20, 2024

Saracens v Trailfinders Women

2pm: StoneX Stadium

Trailfinders Women travel to StoneX Stadium with an impressive win against Harlequins under their belt.

Barney Maddison makes nine changes to their starting XV as Kie Tamai, Kat Evans and Kira Leat make their first starts of the season in a new-look front row.

Saracens host this London derby also bolstered by a win on the road at Twickenham Stoop but make only two changes with Amelia MacDougall pulling the strings at fly-half and Bryony Cleall coming into the second row.

Team news

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 ⁠Chloe Flanagan, 2 ⁠Bryony Field, 3 ⁠⁠Carmen Tremelling, 4 ⁠⁠Joia Bennett, 5 ⁠⁠Bryony Cleall, 6 ⁠⁠Sharifa Kasolo, 7 May Campbell (CC), 8 Poppy Cleall

Replacments: 16 ⁠⁠Daisy Fitzgerald, 17 Akina Gondwe, 18 Sophie Tansley, 19 Chloe Broom, 20⁠ ⁠⁠Cara Wardle, 21⁠ ⁠⁠May Goulding, 22⁠ ⁠⁠Flo Williams, 23 ⁠⁠Lucy Biggs

 

Trailfinders Women

15 Rosie Inman, 14 Vicky Laflin, 13 Jess Cooksey, 12 Kendra Cousineau, 11 Grace White, 10 Ella Amory, 9 Brooke Bradley; 1 Kie Tamai, 2 Kat Evans, 3 Kira Leat, 4 Emma Taylor, 5 Shya Pinnock, 6 Megan Barwick, 7 Abi Burton, 8 Annabel Meta

Replacements: 16 Alicia Watkins, 17 Liz Crake, 18 Eloise Harris, 19 Rowena Burnfield, 20 Sally Williams, 21 Shannon Ikahihifo, 22 Sarah Denholm, 23 Laila Hassan

🚨 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠'𝗦 𝗨𝗣!

Here's how we line up to take on our London rivals, @SaracensWomen! 🔥

Click the 🔗 for all the info: https://t.co/RxZSBi10DD#FollowTheTrail 💚 pic.twitter.com/FnqT3Zyi2R

— Trailfinders Women (@TrailfindersW) September 20, 2024

Loughborough Lightning v Leicester Tigers

3pm: cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens

Loughborough Lightning look for a second pool win in their East Midlands showdown with Leicester Tigers.

2014 Rugby World Cup winner Laura Keates returns to the side at tighthead prop while Freya Greensmith takes the place of Bo Westcombe-Evans after she was named in the Red Roses’ WXV1 squad heading to Canada.

Tom Hudson makes five changes to his starting side for the trip to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

Zainab Alema, Leah Heath and Evie Wills came off the bench in last round’s defeat to Sale Sharks and are set for their first Tigers starts this time out.

Natasha Jones and Morgan Richardson will also become the first players to reach the milestone of 40 appearances as the club enters its second PWR season.

Team news

Loughborough Lightning

15 Freya MacColl, 14 Evelyn Clarke, 13 Ellen Scantlebury, 12 Carmela Morrall, 11 Freya Greensmith, 10 Lia Green, 9 Megan Davey; 1 Isla Curphey, 2 Lucy Calladine, 3 Laura Keates, 4 Keevy Fitzpatrick, 5 Issy Winter, 6 Lucy Finch, 7 Kendall Waudby, 8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones (c)

Replacements: 16 Katherine Baverstock, 17 Amelia Williams, 18 Tiwaah Adjei-Ansere, 19 Becky Boyd, 20 Ellie Roberts, 21 Lucy Weaver, 22 Molly Luthayi, 23 Amelie Anstead

 

Leicester Tigers

15 Amanda Swartz, 14 Charlotte Daley, 13 Evie Wills, 12 Katie Childs, 11 Elin Beaver, 10 Natasha Jones, 9 Amy Relf;  1 Zainab Alema, 2 Alana Bainbridge, 3 Jade Jones, 4 Leah Heath, 5 Charlotte Fray, 6 Jordan Russell, 7 Morgan Richardson, 8 Roisin McBrien (c) Replacements: 16 Nikki Simpson, 17 Ellie Smith, 18 Nadine Vincent, 19 Eeva Pohjanheimo, 20 Tiana Gordon, 21 Jenny Maxwell, 22 Sarah Nicholas, 23 Emma Mundy

𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 🗞️

The matchday squad has been named for Saturday’s PWR Up fixture at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens!

ℹ️ https://t.co/LWzZX07aP2#COYT pic.twitter.com/O7PAYOxTHT

— Leicester Tigers Women's (@TigersWomens) September 20, 2024