PWR Round 16 Review: Gloucester-Hartpury claim semi-final spot as Lightning beat Bears

Gloucester-Hartpury confirmed their place in the Premiership Women’s Rugby play-offs with victory over Leicester Tigers. 

The Circus ran in six tries at Mattioli Woods Welford Road before Loughborough Lightning’s defeat of Bristol Bears meant Gloucester cannot be caught by Bears in fifth.

Saracens completed a hat-trick of away victories on Saturday with a win over local rivals Trailfinders Women as they moved up to second.

Top-four guaranteed 🔒

After their victory and other results today, @gloshartpury's place in the semi-finals this season has been confirmed 👏

Congratulations 🥳#PWR | #PoweredDifferently pic.twitter.com/XKMhxsG257

— Premiership Women's Rugby (@ThePWR) February 1, 2025

Saturday 1 February  

Leicester Tigers 7-38 Gloucester-Hartpury – Mattioli Woods Welford Road 

Five different try scorers, plus a penalty try did the damage for Gloucester-Hartpury in a 38-7 win over Leicester Tigers.

Scrum half Meg Davies opened the scoring as she worked herself round the back of a maul to dive over for the visitors. 

Carmen Castellucci made it two for the visitors from a well-worked team try started by an impressive offload from Steph Else.  

Their first-half dominance was rounded out with a penalty try as the Circus took a 19-point lead into the break. 

Leicester Tigers hit back after the break with a stunning intercept by Claire Gallagher in her own 22 before running almost the length of the pitch to score. 

Hannah Jones then secured Gloucester's bonus point before replacements Kathryn Buggy and Gillian Boag added to the final tally. 

Leicester Tigers 7 

Tries: Claire Gallagher 

Gloucester-Hartpury 38 

Tries: Meg Davies, Carmen Castellucci, penalty try, Hannah Jones, Kathryn Buggy, Gillian Boag

Bristol Bears 22-31 Loughborough Lightning – Shaftesbury Park 

Loughborough Lightning provided another upset with a 31-22 win over top-four-chasing Bristol Bears. 

Tentative opening exchanges were brought to life by Krissy Scurfield who chased down a fine grubber kick from Helena Rowland to put the away side ahead. 

Kathryn Treder extended Lightning’s lead from a lineout before Bristol Bears hit back, first through a sprinting Keira Bevan and then a customary Millie David score levelled proceedings heading into half-time. 

Scurfield claimed her second try of the game to move Lightning back ahead before Elis Martin and Alev Kelter looked to have moved the game out of sight. 

Lark Atkin-Davies went over followed by Reneeqa Bonner, the latter running in from 60 metres to set up an exciting conclusion that Lightning were able to weather to claim another impressive win. 

Bristol Bears 22 

Tries: Keira Bevan, Millie David, Lark Atkin-Davies, Reneeqa Bonner 

Loughborough Lightning 31 

Tries: Krissy Scurfield (2), Kathryn Treder, Elis Martin, Alev Kelter 

Pure power from @TrailfindersW 💥

Rori Woods' first-half try from up close and personal 🔍#PWR | #PoweredDifferently pic.twitter.com/Vj9vde2BQa

— Premiership Women's Rugby (@ThePWR) February 1, 2025

Trailfinders Women 17-31 Saracens – Trailfinders Sports Club 

May Campbell’s hat-trick confirmed a 31-17 comeback win for Saracens over neighbours Trailfinders Women. 

Rori Wood put Trailfinders on the front foot with a try in the third minute before Campbell went over for Sarries to equalise the scores. 

Rosie Inman moved the hosts ahead again with a score in the corner but the wing missed the conversion to give Saracens an incentive. 

They took it as Poppy Cleall went over from close range before Amelia MacDougall moved the visitors ahead for the first time. 

Cleall then chased down a Trailfinders kick before finding Georgia Evans who extended Sarries’ lead further. 

The hosts almost closed the gap through Jess Cooksey but the conversion was missed again, and Saracens made them pay as Campbell went over for two more tries to clinch the game. 

Trailfinders Women 17 

Tries: Rori Wood, Rosie Inman, Jess Cooksey 

Saracens 31 

Tries: May Campbell (3), Poppy Cleall, Georgia Evans