News
PWR Round 4 Preview: Sunday blockbuster - Saracens host Gloucester-Hartpury live on TNT Sports
Round 4 of Premiership Women’s Rugby sees Harlequins welcome Loughborough Lightning to The Stoop for this year’s edition of The Game Changer.
Both sides will be out to notch their second win of the season on a Saturday that also sees Exeter Chiefs host Trailfinders Women at Sandy Park.
Bristol Bears make the trip to Sale Sharks on Saturday evening before the weekend wraps up with a mouthwatering clash between Saracens and Gloucester-Hartpury on Sunday lunchtime.
SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER
Exeter Chiefs v Trailfinders Women – Sandy Park – 3pm
Exeter Chiefs will look to continue their perfect start to the season when they welcome Trailfinders Women to Devon on Saturday.
Chiefs come into the contest with three wins from their first three matches, most recently earning a statement 21-15 win away at reigning champions Gloucester-Hartpury.
Trailfinders also enter off the back of a win after beating Loughborough Lightning 64-33 two weeks ago.
Ellie Boatman and Annabel Meta both scored twice, with Meta retaining her place in the starting line-up despite nine changes from their first win of the season.
𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗘𝗙𝗦 𝟮𝟯 heading into Round 4⃣ v @TrailfindersW ⚔
— Exeter Chiefs Women (@ExeChiefsWomen) October 25, 2024
💪 Power in the front row
🤝Tessier & McGillivray in the centres
6⃣ internationals on the bench#EXEvEAL | #PoweredDifferently pic.twitter.com/O7JLNs36vl
Trailfinders welcome back international stars such as captain Kate Zackary and Andrea Stock in the pack while Abby Dow returns to the back three.
There is a debut at scrum-half for Caity Mattinson, while Grace Moore, Lisa Thomson and Chloe Rollie could make their Trailfinders debuts from the bench.
Chiefs have made just four changes following their victory against Gloucester-Hartpury, with the hosts also welcoming players back from WXV.
Alex Tessier returns to the centres while Charli Jacoby and Cliodhna Moloney pack down in the front row alongside Mikiela Nelson, who scored twice last time out.
There is also plenty of international experience on the bench with Dorothy Wall, Rachel Johnson and Hope Rogers all amongst the replacements.
Match Officials
Referee: Charlie Gayther
Assistant Referees: Simon Adams & Kevin Williams
Fourth Official: Scott Baker
🌟 𝗪𝗫𝗩 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸!
— Trailfinders Women (@TrailfindersW) October 25, 2024
🤩 Here's how we lineup to face Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park!
Click the 🔗 for all the team news: https://t.co/B41p4Q0sQQ#FollowTheTrail 💚 pic.twitter.com/H5U2ee5W9m
Team News
Exeter Chiefs
15 Merryn Doidge, 14 Eilidh Sinclair, 13 Nancy McGillivray, 12 Alexandra Tessier, 11 Sabrina Poulin, 10 Liv McGoverne, 9 Flo Robinson; 1 Mikiela Nelson, 2 Cliodhna Moloney, 3 Charli Jacoby, 4 Poppy Leitch, 5 Linde van der Velden, 6 Ebony Jefferies, 7 Maisy Allen, 8 Emily Robinson
Replacements
16 Clara Nielson, 17 Hope Rogers, 18 Flo Long, 19 Dorothy Wall, 20 Rachel Johnson, 21 Lucy Nye, 22 Gabby Cantorna, 23 Lori Cramer
Trailfinders Women
15 Rosie Inman, 14 Abby Dow, 13 Julia Schell, 12 Kendra Cousineau, 11 Grace White, 10 Ella Amory, 9 Caity Mattinson; 1 Liz Crake, 2 Cristina Blanco, 3 Andrea Stock, 4 Emma Taylor, 5 Shya Pinnock, 6 Rowena Burnfield, 7 Annabel Meta, 8 Kate Zackary
Replacements
16 Lindelwa Gwala, 17 Kie Tamai, 18 Cassandra Tuffnail, 19 Tyson Beukeboom, 20 Grace Moore, 21 Sarah Denholm, 22 Lisa Thomson, 23 Chloe Rollie
How to Watch
The match is live on Exeter Chiefs’ YouTube channel.
Oval Insights
Exeter Chiefs
- Maisy Alllen made more tackles in Round 3 than any other player (24) and missed none. Teammate Emily Robinson also made 21.
- Liv McGoverne made a round-high 547 metres with her kicks in play last weekend, including 42 from the only 50/22 of the round.
- Exeter Chiefs have averaged the most post-contact metres per carry so far this season (1.4).
Trailfinders Women
- In Round 2, Emma Taylor and Grace White made more carries than any other players: 25 and 20 respectively.
- In her last appearance, Grace White made the most dominant carries (ten), clean breaks (four), post-contact metres (43), and the second-most carry metres (214).
- Vicky Laflin has made a league-high nine clean breaks in her two appearances this season.
The stars of the #WXV are BACK 🎆#PWR #PoweredDifferently pic.twitter.com/ZlYZNbKEpv
— Premiership Women's Rugby (@ThePWR) October 24, 2024
Harlequins v Loughborough Lightning – Twickenham Stoop – 3pm
Harlequins host Loughborough Lightning for the sixth edition of The Game Changer, with both sides eyeing a second win of the season after breaking their ducks in Round 3.
Quins beat Leicester Tigers 31-17 on the road while Lightning got past Sale Sharks 36-17. It means both sides will arrive at The Stoop with plenty of confidence in front of a bumper crowd.
Quins have made 11 changes to their starting side, with Red Rose Connie Powell spearheading a new-look front row alongside Silvia Turani and Babalwa Latsha.
Captain Jade Konkel starts at number eight alongside debutant Alex Callender, while Lucy Packer returns at scrum-half. Quins also welcome back Ellie Kildunne at full-back.
It’s time for #TheGameChanger 🤩
— Harlequins Women 🃏 (@HarlequinsWomen) October 25, 2024
🌹 Kildunne returns
🏴 Al Cal on debut
1️⃣4️⃣ Internationals return
📲 https://t.co/EjHIaiRLlP
Delivered by @dhlrugbyuk#COYQ #HARvLOU pic.twitter.com/cTJw9a3Phq
Loughborough Lightning hand a debut to Olympic silver medallist Krissy Scurfield as one of seven changes made by Nathan Smith. Scurfield pairs with Emily Scarratt in the centres, while Helen Nelson also returns from international duty at fly-half. Lightning also give starts to Bo Westcombe-Evans and Lilli Ives Campion, who both made their England debuts last month. Fellow Scot Rachel Malcolm packs down in the back row with PWR debutant Elis Martin at hooker.
Match Officials
Referee: George Selwood
Assistant Referees: Veryan Boscawen & James Pidding
Fourth Official: Emma Sly
Here’s your Loughborough Lightning team to take on @HarlequinsWomen ⚡
— Loughborough Lightning Rugby ⚡️ (@LightningRugby) October 25, 2024
🇨🇦 Scurfield debut
🌹Scarratt return
🏴 Malcolm & Nelson in XV
Full team news for @ThePWR Round 4 fixture is in the link below ⏬https://t.co/cw5WU7fgRP pic.twitter.com/c57r66mHpy
Team News
Harlequins
15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Katie Shillaker, 13 Sarah Parry, 12 Lagi Tuima, 11 Lisa Neumann, 10 Kayleigh Powell, 9 Lucy Packer; 1 Silvia Turani, 2 Connie Powell 3 Babalwa Latsha, 4 Danelle Lochner, 5 Kaitlan Leaney, 6 Abbie Fleming, 7 Alex Callender, 8 Jade Konkel
Replacements
16 Carys Phillips, 17 Laura Delgado, 18 Lizzie Hanlon, 19 Sarah Bonar, 20 Maja Meuller, 21 Freya Aucken, 22 Ella Cromack, 23. Izzy Mayhew
Loughborough Lightning
15 Fran Goldthorp, 14 Krissy Scurfield, 13 Emily Scarratt, 12 Carmela Morrall, 11 Bo Westcombe-Evans,10 Helen Nelson, 9 Megan Davey; 1 Isla Curphey, 2 Elis Martin, 3 Laura Keates, 4 Hallie Taufoou, 5 Lilli Ives Campion, 6 Rachel Malcolm, 7 Kendall Waudby, 8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones
Replacements
16 Kathryn Treder, 17 Amelia Williams, 18 Christine Belisle, 19 Issy Winter, 20 Becky Boyd, 21 Leia Brebner-Holden, 22 Lia Green, 23 Bulou Mataitoga
How to Watch
The match is live on Harlequins’ YouTube channel
Oval Insights
Harlequins
- Nicole Wythe has made more post-contact metres than any other player this season (80), an average of 1.8 per carry.
- Sara Svoboda has made the most offloads in the league (seven); her teammate, Lisa Neumann, has also made six.
- Harlequins have missed an average of just 17 tackles per 80 minutes this season - fewer than any other team.
Loughborough Lightning
- Bo Westcombe Evans made a round-high four clean breaks last weekend and scored two tries.
- Becky Boyd has made the joint-most dominant tackles this season (five) and is among the top five players for successful tackles generally (54).
- Carmela Morrall has won more turnovers than any other back this season, a total of five in three matches.
Your @HarlequinsWomen side to face Loughborough Lightning in #TheGameChanger 🤩
— Harlequins 🃏 (@Harlequins) October 25, 2024
Team News 📲 https://t.co/RBeLGrSMux
Tickets 🎟️ https://t.co/ZphHHqFKtc
Live Stream 🎥 https://t.co/y6JcuILLPK
Good luck girls! 👏#COYQ #HARvLOU pic.twitter.com/K5Lk5Wuvtn
Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears – CorpAcq Stadium – 7pm
Sale Sharks host Bristol Bears as they look to earn their first win of the season at CorpAcq Stadium.
Sharks were beaten 36-17 by Loughborough Lightning last time out to follow on from home defeat to Saracens the week before but will have eyes on earning a first victory against Bears.
The visitors tasted defeat for the first time last weekend, losing 41-24 at home to Saracens, having opened up with victory over Lightning in Round 1.
Red Rose Morwenna Talling returns to the pack for Sale Sharks alongside Lucie Sams, who makes her first start of the season, and Alba Capell.
Niamh Swailes also comes into the forwards after recovering from injury, with Catie Benson and Nick James either side of her in the front row.
Beatrice Regoni starts in the centres alongside Vicky A Irwin, while Holly Thorpe makes her first start of the season on the wing.
𝗣𝗼𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆
— Sale Sharks Women (@SaleSharksWomen) October 22, 2024
Don’t sleep on Bea Rigoni's handles 🔥
2️⃣ in 2️⃣ for Sophie Hopkins 💪#SharksFamily #trytime pic.twitter.com/8gl4W2SB9W
Bears welcome back Red Roses duo Sarah Bern and Abbie Ward to their pack, while fellow England international Lark Atkin-Davies is amongst the replacements.
Lana Skeldon gets the nod at hooker after her return from WXV action with Scotland.
In the backs, Jasmine Joyce-Butchers returns to the back three alongside Millie David and Courtney Knight while Amber Reed marshals the side from fly-half.
Match Officials
Referee: Hamish Smales
Assistant Referee: James Cornell & Simon Park
Fourth Official: Nia Sterenborg
🏴 @joyce_jaz back in a 🐻 shirt!
— Bristol Bears Women 🐻 (@BristolBearsW) October 25, 2024
🌹 @RedRosesRugby trio return
🏴 @skeldonlana starts at hooker
Our @ThePWR Round 4⃣ team news is LIVE! 📰#SALvBRI | #BristolBears
Team News
Sale Sharks
15 Nikita Prothero, 14 Sophie Hopkins, 13 Vicky A Irwin, 12 Beatrice Rigoni, 11 Holly Thorpe, 10 Robyn Wilkins, 9 Sofia Stephan, 1 Catie Benson, 2 Niamh Swailes, 3 Nick James, 4 Iona Antwis, 5 Erica Jarrell, 6 Lucie Sams, 7 Alba Capell, 8 Morwenna Talling
Replacements
16 Scarlett Fielding, 17 Sophie Lewis, 18 Detysha Harper, 19 Trudy Cowan, 20 Jo Brown, 21 India Perris-Redding, 22 Laura Perrin, 23 Isobel McGuire-Evans
Bristol Bears
15 Jasmine Joyce-Butchers, 14 Courtney Keight, 13 Phoebe Murray, 12 Meg Webb, 11 Millie David, 10 Amber Reed, 9 Lucy Burgess; 1 Ellie Marston-Mulhearn, 2 Lana Skeldon, 3 Sarah Bern, 4 Hollie Cunningham, 5 Abbie Ward, 6 Gabriella Nigrelli, 7 Alisha Joyce-Butchers, 8 Row Marston-Mulhearn
Replacements
16 Lark Atkin-Davies, 17 Issy Jaques, 18 Danyelle Dinapoli, 19 Delaney Burns, 20 Christiana Balogun, 21 Keira Bevan, 22 Jenna De Vera, 23 Reneeqa Bonner.
How to Watch
The match is live on Global Yo.
Oval Insights
Sale Sharks
- The Sharks have averaged more kicks in play per 80 minutes than any other team this season (19.5). Over 30% of their possessions have ended with kicks.
- The Sharks have scored five tries in two matches this season; this is the lowest total and average in the league.
- 36.4% of the Sharks’ kicks this season have come off the left boot - a higher percentage than any other team.
Bristol Bears
- Maisy Alllen made more tackles in Round 3 than any other player (24) and missed none. Teammate Emily Robinson also made 21.
- Millie David is the only player in the league that has scored five tries, despite having only made two appearances.
- The Bears have won a league-high average of 9.5 turnovers per 80 minutes this season. Centres Amber Reed and Jenna de Vera have won three apiece.
Box office 🍿
— Premiership Women's Rugby (@ThePWR) October 21, 2024
Click below to watch all the highlights from Round 3 of the #PWR 👇#PoweredDifferently
SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER
Saracens v Gloucester-Hartpury – StoneX Stadium – 12.45pm
Gloucester-Hartpury travel to Saracens hoping to get back to winning ways in Sunday’s lunchtime kick-off.
The Circus were beaten 21-15 by Exeter Chiefs last weekend and know they will face another tough test against table-toppers Saracens.
Sarries have three wins from three so far this term and a fourth against Gloucester-Hartpury would be a real statement of intent as they look to win their first title since 2022.
Rosie Galligan returns to the pack for Saracens, as she pairs up with Georgia Evans in the second row.
May Campbell co-captains the side from the back row, with Sarah McKenna in the centres alongside Emma Hardy.
Zoe Harrison takes her place at fly-half outside Leanne Infante, while Sydney Gregson, Alysha Corrigan, and Jemma-Lo Jinkins make up the back three.
🚨𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠'𝗦 𝗨𝗣💥
— Saracens Women (@SaracensWomen) October 25, 2024
🧢 Debut for @SenftGabby.
💯 up for @leanneriley189.
🌹 Three more Red Roses return.
Full team news. 👇#YourSaracens💫 | @stonex_official
Gloucester-Hartpury welcome back 12 internationals to their side as they look to bounce back from defeat to Exeter Chiefs.
Co-captains Natasha Hunt and Zoe Aldcroft both return to the starting XV while fellow Red Roses Mackenzie Carson, Maud Muir, Alex Matthews, Georgia Brock, and Tatyana Heard all start.
Neve Jones completes the front three with Carson and Muir either side, while Bethan Lewis and Kate Williams complete the pack.
Emma Sing continues at full-back, with Rachel Lund and Nel Metcalfe in the back three.
Match Officials
Referee: Dan Jones
Assistant Referees: Calum Howard & James Clarke
Fourth Official: Jenny Burrows / Peter Brunt
𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🎪
— Gloucester-Hartpury (@gloshartpury) October 25, 2024
All guns blazing 🔥
🤝 @CotswoldRAW @VodafoneUK
🍒💫 | #SARvGLO pic.twitter.com/RdThS9fOex
Team News
Saracens
15 Jemma-Jo Linkins, 14 Sydney Gregson, 13 Emma Hardy, 12 Sarah McKenna, 11 Alysha Corrigan, 10 Zoe Harrison, 9 Leanne Infante; 1 McKinley Hunt, 2 Bryony Field, 3 Donna Rose, 4 Georgia Evans, 5 Rosie Galligan, 6 Gabby Senft, 7 May Campbell, 8 Poppy Cleall
Replacements
16 Akina Gondwe, 17 Bryony Cleall, 18 Kelsey Clifford, 19 Louise McMillan, 20 Marlie Packer, 21 Ella Wyrwas, 22 Beth Blacklock, 23 Lotte Sharp
Gloucester-Hartpury
15 Emma Sing , 14 Nel Metcalfe, 13 Pip Hendy, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Rachel Lund, 10 Millie Hyett, 9 Natasha 'Mo' Hunt; 1 Mackenzie Carson, 2 Neve Jones, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Kate Williams, 5 Zoe Aldcroft, 6 Bethan Lewis, 7 Georgia Brock, 8 Alex Matthews
Replacements
16 Lucy Simpson, 17 Ranni Samuda, 18 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 19 Beth Stafford, 20 Steph Else, 21 Carmen Castellucci, 22 Sian Jones,23 Ellie Green
How to Watch
The match is live on TNT Sports.
Oval Insights
Saracens
- Sydney Gregson and May Campbell were the only teammates to score a brace apiece last weekend. Campbell also made 21 tackles, missing none.
- Leanne Infante was the only player to assist three tries in Round 3. She has assisted the joint-most this season (five).
- Saracens have won seven scrum penalties so far this season - more than any other team.
Gloucester-Hartpury
- A round-high eight of Pip Hendy’s 16 carries were dominant last weekend.. She made 64 post-contact metres - 20 more than any other player has made in a match this season.
- Emma Sing beat more defenders than any other player in Round 3 (12) and made the most metres (122). She is currently the league’s top point-scorer (39).
- Gloucester-Hartpury have the second-high lineout success rate (83.3%) and have averaged more maul metres per 80 minutes than any other team (48).
Buy Tickets for the PWR Final 2025
Partners
Close
Join the PWR
Sign-up to receive all the latest updates and news from the world‘s premier women‘s club rugby competition.
