PWR Round 14 Preview: Bears face Tigers test as top two try to keep winning streaks

Round 14 of Premiership Women’s Rugby sees temperatures rising at the top of the table as no one can afford to falter to stay in the race.

Bristol Bears host the opening match against Leicester Tigers as they try to build on an impressive win last weekend, while Saturday provide two further tasty clashes as leaders Gloucester-Hartpury host Trailfinders Women and Harlequins face a trip to play Sale Sharks.

Rounding off the weekend’s action on Sunday, Exeter Chiefs will hope to bounce back from last week’s defeat to the Bears when they face Loughborough Lightning.

SATURDAY 18 JANUARY

Bristol Bears v Leicester Tigers - Ashton Gate - 1pm

Live on PWR and Bristol Bears YouTube channels

The Rugby Network in USA and Canada

After an important victory against Exeter Chiefs on the road last weekend, Bristol Bears will hope to take their strong form back to Ashton Gate.

Leicester Tigers, on the other hand, will be looking for an immediate response to their heavy defeat against Saracens.

The PWR’s leading try scorer Millie David returns to the back three for Bears, while Ilona Maher will also make her first home start on the wing.

Keira Bevan will take the Bears’ armband while Simi Pam, Holly Phillips and Elliann Clarke make up a new-look front three.

Tigers have received a boost with England international Meg Jones among nine players to return to the squad.

They also boast a back three of internationals, as Emily Henrich moves back to the wing alongside Francesca McGhie and Claire Gallagher.

A rugby superstar 🌟

Ilona Maher's first try in the #PWR was one for the history books 🤩#PoweredDifferently pic.twitter.com/auqAbWdJ6f

— Premiership Women's Rugby (@ThePWR) January 16, 2025

TEAM NEWS

Bristol Bears

15 ⁠Ella Lovibond, 14 ⁠Millie David, 13 ⁠Courtney Keight, 12⁠ ⁠Meg Varley, 11 ⁠Ilona Maher, 10 ⁠Phoebe Murray, 9 ⁠Keira Bevan (C); 1 ⁠Simi Pam, 2 ⁠Holly Phillips, 3 ⁠Elliann Clarke, 4 ⁠Hollie Cunningham, 5⁠ ⁠Delaney Burns, 6 Christiana Balogun,⁠ ⁠7 Alisha Joyce-Butchers (VC), 8 ⁠Gabriella Nigrelli.

Replacements: 16⁠ ⁠Lark Atkin-Davies, 17⁠ ⁠Jess Sprague, 18⁠ ⁠Sarah Bern, 19⁠ ⁠Jenny Herring, 20 ⁠Rownita Marston-Mulhearn, 21 ⁠Ffion Lewis, 22 ⁠Jenny Hesketh, 23⁠ ⁠Reneeqa Bonner.

Leicester Tigers

15 Claire Gallagher, 14 Emily Henrich, 13 Meg Jones, 12 Evie Wills, 11 Francesca McGhie, 10 Natasha Jones, 9 Amy Relf; 1 Leah Bartlett, 2 Nikki Simpson, 3 Sophie Benavent, 4 Eva Donaldson, 5 Charlotte Fray, 6 Julia Omokhuale, 7 Roisin McBrien (C), 8 Tahlia Brody.

Replacements: 16 Jordan Russell, 17 Abbey Constable, 18 Clodagh Dunne, 19 Tiana Gordon, 20 Morgan Richardson, 21 Jenny Maxwell, 22 Tess Feury, 23 Katie Childs.

Match officials

Referee: Mike Hudson

Assistant referees: Simon Adams and Melanie Sutton

Oval Insights

Bristol Bears 

• Rownita Marston-Mulhearn made a round-high 23 carries and 45 post-contact metres last weekend. 

• Ilona Maher made more dominant carries than any other player in Round 13 (nine), beat 12 defenders (1st), made four clean breaks, and a round-high 155 metres. She also scored her first try in the PWR. 

• Millie David has made more offloads (17) and clean breaks (22) than any other player this season. 

Leicester Tigers 

• Caroline Fray and Julia Omokhuale have made more dominant tackles than any other players this season: 14 and 11 respectively. 

• On average, Tigers concede 1.7 fewer penalties than their opposition per 80 minutes – the second-biggest margin in the league. 

• A greater proportion of the Tigers’ kicks have been off the left boot than any other team this season (27.3%). 

 

Sale Sharks v Harlequins - CorpAcq Stadium (Heywood Road) - 2pm

Live on the Global Yo platform

Having had last weekend off, Harlequins will look to extend a nine-match winning streak to keep the pressure on Gloucester-Hartpury at the top.

They currently sit three points behind the leaders with a game in hand at the top of the PWR.

Sharks’match with Trailfinders Women at the CorpAcq Stadium was postponed last weekend and they will look to use the extra week of rest to their advantage as they remain in search of a first win.

Clàudia Peña spinning her way over the try line 💃🇪🇸#COYQ #TRAvHAR pic.twitter.com/P3ZWrrC43Y

— Harlequins Women 🃏 (@HarlequinsWomen) January 7, 2025

This week is one of milestones for Sharks, though, with Niamh Swailes and Lizzie Duffy poised to make their 50th appearance for the club.

Morwenna Talling also returns from Red Roses camp to captain the side at No.8

Quins see a complete change to their front row, with Jessie Spurrier and Laura Delgado named as props and Carys Phillips at hooker.

Elsewhere, Spanish international Clàudia Peña moves to the wing, joining Beth Wilcock and Red Rose Ellie Kildunne.

TEAM NEWS

Sale Sharks

15 Nikita Prothero, 14 Sophie Hopkins, 13 Vicky A Irwin, 12 Beatrice Rigoni, 11 Holly Thorpe, 10 Lizzie Duffy, 9 Sofia Stefan; 1 Cate Benson, 2 Molly Wright, 3 Detysha Harper, 4 Erica Jarrell, 5 Iona Antwis, 6 Jo Brown, 7 Niamh Swailes, 8, Morwenna Talling (C).

Replacements: 16 Evie Roach, 17 Sophie Lewis, 18 Scarlett Fielding, 19 Polly Bowman, 20, Molly Morrissey, 21 Katana Howard, 22 Robyn Wilkins, 23 Olivia Ortiz.

Harlequins

15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Beth Wilcock⁠, 13 ⁠Sarah Parry, 12 Lagi Tuima (VC), 11 ⁠Clàudia Peña, 10 ⁠Kayleigh Powell, 9 Freya Aucken; 1 Jessie Spurrier, 2 ⁠Carys Phillips, 3 Laura Delgado, 4 Abbie Fleming, 5 Kaitlan Leaney, 6 Harriet Millar Mills, 7 ⁠Alex Callender, 8 Jade Konkel (C).

Replacements: 16 Connie Powell, 17 Silvia Turani, 18 Lizzie Hanlon, 19 Maddy Grant, 20 Maja Meuller, 21 Emma Swords, 22 Ella Cromack, 23 Izzy Mayhew.

Match officials

Referee: Samuel Yates

Assistant referees: Jason Garrick and Simon Park

Oval Insights

Sale Sharks

• The Sharks have made an average of 16 kicks in play per 80 minutes – the second-most in the league. Sofia Stefan is their primary kicker, having made 56 kicks in play. 

• Detysha Harper has made the most carries (93), joint-most offloads (ten), and third-most tackles (98) in the Sharks squad. 

• Niamh Swailes has made more tackles (118), dominant tackles (six), and ruck entries (151) than any other Sharks player. 

Harlequins

• In Round 12, Jade Konkel-Roberts made more carries than any other player (22). She also made two clean breaks, 27 post-contact metres, and scored a try. 

• Ellie Kildunne made 73 more metres than any other player in Round 12 (170), beat four defenders, and scored a try. 

• Lucy Packer assisted four tries in her last appearance – as many as any other player has in a match this season. 

Gloucester-Hartpury v Trailfinders - Kingsholm - 3:05pm

Live on TNT Sports

The league leaders will hope to extend a five-match unbeaten run and defend their position at the top when they welcome Trailfinders Women to Kingsholm.

Trailfinders are without a win since the start of December and will have all intention of putting that right as soon as possible.

All eyes on Saturday 🎪

🎟️ https://t.co/40xUe1YhWo

🍒✈️ | #GLOvTFW pic.twitter.com/F9YnwKdUs5

— Gloucester-Hartpury (@gloshartpury) January 16, 2025

Gloucester-Hartpury see no reason to change what is not broken with Lleucu George and co-captain Natasha Hunt set to make their fourth consecutive start together at half-back.

They also keep the same lock and back-row combination from their win against Loughborough, though Mackenzie Carson and Neve Jones return in the front row.

Trailfinders make an equal five changes from the side that lost to Harlequins as Paige Stathopoulos joins Alivia Leatherman and Rori Wood in the front row.

The back-row also sees a change as Grace Moore comes in alongside Abi Burton and captain Kate Zackary.

TEAM NEWS

Gloucester-Hartpury

15 Mia Venner, 14 Nel Metcalfe, 13 Hannah Jones, 12 Millie Hyett, 11 Pip Hendy, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Natasha 'Mo' Hunt (CC); 1 Mackenzie Carson, 2 Neve Jones, 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 4 Sarah Beckett, 5 Zoe Aldcroft (CC), 6 Steph Else, 7 Georgia Brock, 8 Alex Matthews.

Replacements: 16 Lucy Simpson, 17 El Perry, 18 Lisa Cockburn, 19 Beth Stafford, 20 Kate Williams, 21 Meg Davies, 22 Tatyana Heard, 23 Rachel Lund.

Trailfinders

15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Vicky Laflin, 13 Jess Cooksey, 12 Lisa Thomson, 11 Grace White, 10 Julia Schell, 9 Ella Amory; 1 Alivia Leatherman, 2 Paige Stathopoulos, 3 Rori Wood, 4 Tyson Beukeboom, 5 Shya Pinnock, 6 Grace Moore, 7 Abi Burton, 8 Kate Zackary (C).

Replacements: 16 Lindelwa Gwala, 17 Liz Crake, 18 Cassandra Tuffnail, 19 Rowena Burnfield, 20 Freya McGinlay, 21 Caity Mattinson, 22 Liz Musgrove, 23 Sam Shiels.

Match officials

Referee: Nikki O'Donnell

Assistant referees: Iain Kiy and Fiona Brunt

Oval Insights

Gloucester-Hartpury

• Natasha Hunt was one of two players who assisted three tries at the weekend. She has assisted nine tries in eight appearances this season. 

• Emma Sing made 152 metres last weekend – the second-highest total of the round. She has made over 100 metres in eight of her 12 appearances this season. 

• Gloucester-Hartpury have averaged the most dominant collisions (38.5) and carry metres (561) per 80 minutes.

Trailfinders Women

• Trailfinders have made a league-high average of 7.8 dominant tackles per 80 minutes this season. Shya Pinnock has made a squad-high eight. 

• Trailfinders average the most metres per possession (20.8), a league-high 8.3 of which are from kicks. 31.9% of their possessions end with a kick (2nd). 

• Vicky Laflin is the Trailfinders’ top try-scorer this season having scored five. She has also made an average of 3.5 clean breaks per 80 minutes this season. 

SUNDAY 19 JANUARY

Loughborough Lightning v Exeter Chiefs - cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens - 3pm

With two games in hand, Exeter Chiefs are in a strong position to clinch a semi-final place.

They lost at home to Bears last weekend but will hope to right those wrongs on the road against Lightning this time out.

Their East Midlands-based opponents will be aiming for a response of their own, however, having most recently fallen to defeat against league leaders Gloucester-Hartpury.

💬 | “𝘎𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴.”

Read more from Courtney Holtkamp in the 🔗 below

— Loughborough Lightning Rugby ⚡️ (@LightningRugby) January 15, 2025

Lightning will also celebrate Emily Scarratt’s 50th appearance for the club in style. She partners Alev Kelter in midfield for an eighth consecutive game.

The hosts will also welcome the return of English international Helena Rowland at fly-half and Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm.

Elsewhere, Leia Brebner-Holden is set to make her first Lightning start at scrum-half.

For Chiefs, Maisy Allen gets her first start at flanker since a two-month absence with an ankle injury. She is joined in the back row by Rachel Johnson and Dorothy Wall.

Fellow returnee Hope Rogers is named in the front row after failing a late fitness test against Bristol.

TEAM NEWS

Loughborough Lightning

15 Francesca Goldthorp, 14 Bulou Mataitoga, 13 Emily Scarratt, 12 Alev Kelter, 11 Krissy Scurfield, 10 Helena Rowland, 9 Leia Brebner-Holden; 1 Anne Young, 2 Elis Martin, 3 Laura Keates, 4 Courtney Holtkamp, 5 Hallie Taufoou, 6 Rachel Malcolm (CC), 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones (CC).

Replacements: 16 Kathryn Treder, 17 Amelia Williams, 18 Christine Belisle, 19 Abby Duguid, 20 Kendall Waudby, 21 Meg Davey, 22 Lia Green, 23 Carmela Morrall.

Exeter Chiefs

15 Alexandra Tessier, 14 Claudia MacDonald, 13 Nancy McGillivray, 12 Liv McGoverne, 11 Katie Buchanan, 10 Taylor Perry, 9 Flo Robinson (VC); 1 Hope Rogers, 2 Cliodhna Moloney, 3 DaLeaka Menin, 4 Poppy Leitch (C), 5 Linde van der Velden, 6 Dorothy Wall, 7 Maisy Allen, 8 Rachel Johnson.

Replacements: 16 Emily Tuttosi, 17 Mikiela Nelson, 18 Charli Jacoby, 19 Niamh Orchard, 20 Edel McMahon, 21 Lucy Nye, 22 Merryn Doidge, 23 Georgina Tasker.

Match officials

Referee: Charlie Gayther

Assistant referees: Neil Chivers and Rebecca Rees

Oval Insights

Loughborough Lightning

• Last weekend, Alev Kelter beat 11 defenders, made 112 metres, and scored a try. 

• Krissy Scurfield made a round-high five clean breaks last weekend. She has made a total of ten clean breaks in her last three appearances. 

• Lightning have stolen the most lineouts in the PWR (22); Hallie Taufoou has stolen eight – the second-most by an individual. 

Exeter Chiefs

• Dorothy Wall and Poppy Leitch made more tackles than any other players last weekend: 24 and 23 respectively. Their teammate, Taylor Perry, was the only player who made three dominant tackles. 

• Liv McGoverne has made more kicks in play (103) and 970 more kick in play metres (3,437) than any other player this season. 

• The Chiefs have the best gainline success rate in the league (56.5%). Flo Robinson has crossed the gainline more than any other Chiefs player (56).