Review: Lightning hit the ground running along with Chiefs and Trailfinders in PWR Up Series

This weekend the PWR UP Series got underway across the country.

Six teams began their preparations for the 2024/25 Premiership Women’s Rugby season, which promises to be an exhilarating campaign.

The first game of the weekend saw Loughborough Lightning travel to Sale Sharks and impress with a seven-try win over their hosts.

Exeter Chiefs then put on a show away to Gloucester-Hartpury before Trailfinders Women beat Harlequins in a thriller.

SALE SHARKS 31-45 LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING - HEYWOOD ROAD

Loughborough Lightning started off their PWR UP Series campaign in perfect fashion thanks to a 45-31 win over Sale Sharks.

A quick start from Sharks saw the home side take an early lead in front of their home supporters.

Nikita Prothero latched onto a looping pass to register the first try of the afternoon with just 11 minutes played.

Loughborough responded quickly with a maul try for Kendall Waudby and took the lead when Lia Green’s conversion found the mark.

Green was on target again seven minutes later when Waudby dotted down again after a rangy run from Bo Westcombe-Evans.

Westcombe-Evans continued to make her presence known in the North West and dotted down twice in the space of five minutes.

A member of the Red Roses training squad this summer, Westcombe-Evans was unstoppable on her way to the whitewash.

The visitors continued to grow their 14-point advantage shortly after the game resumed.

Evelyn Clarke got the opportunity to stretch her legs when she ran in from 40 metres out before injury to Sharks’ Liv Ortiz forced a stoppage to proceedings.

A chance to regather their thoughts helped Sale rally to get Trudy Cowan over the try line.

Lightning’s USA international Hallie Taufoou and Sharks’ Laura Perrin then traded tries, before Taufoou turned provider for Bulou Mataitoga’s score beneath the posts.

On the stroke of full-time the home side muscled over for a Jasmine Hazel try and end the contest in Cheshire.

Sale Sharks - 31

Tries - Prothero, Capell, Cowan, Perrin, Hazel

Loughborough Lightning - 45

Tries - Waudby (2), Westcombe-Evans (2), Clarke, Taufoou, Mataitoga

GLOUCESTER-HARTPURY 14-47 EXETER CHIEFS - HARTPURY COLLEGE STADIUM

Exeter Chiefs laid down a marker with a thumping win in their opening PWR Up Series encounter as they put powered past reigning league champions Gloucester-Hartpury.

Chiefs were first on the board after 14 minutes, flanker Ebony Jefferies getting over.

The home side responded immediately, Daisy Aspinall racing away down the touchline as Millie Hyett levelled the scores at 7-7.

By half-time though, Chiefs had opened up a significant lead. Maisy Allen got over from close range before skipper Poppy Leitch followed suit.

Then a great break from Eilidh Sinclair was finished off by Allen out wide, Liz McGoverne slotting her fourth conversion of the afternoon to make it 28-7.

Half-back duo Flo Robinson and McGoverne then grabbed a try apiece to open the second half.

Aspinall got a second on the board for the home side, but Chiefs had the final say with Sinclair getting over for their seventh of the afternoon.

Gloucester-Hartpury

Tries - Aspinall 2

Exeter Chiefs

Tries - Jefferies, Allen 2, Leitch, Robinson, McGoverne, Sinclair

TRAILFINDERS WOMEN 40-33 HARLEQUINS - TRAILFINDERS SPORTS GROUND

A late try from Liz Musgrove gave Trailfinders Women victory in a sensational encounter against Harlequins.

Trailing 33-21 midway through the second half, the hosts scored 19 unanswered points to turn the match on its head and take the win.

Debutant Maja Mueller had put Quins in front early, only for Cristina Blanco to respond, with both tries coming from rolling mauls.

Winger Grace White then got in on the driving maul action to put the home side ahead, but her score was cancelled out by Freya Aucken, showing all her power.

Izzy Hannay was next to cross, putting Quins back ahead. However it was Trailfinders who led at the break, Italian international Sara Seye getting a converted try for a 21-19 lead.

The start of the second half belonged to Quins, the outstanding Claudia Peña getting a well-deserved try before Nicola Haynes came off the bench for their fifth.

From there however, it was all Trailfinders, Emma Taylor getting them back into it before Kat Evans levelled it up from a maul.

At 33-33, it was anyone's game, but Musgrove scored a stunner to decide it, taking the ball from Vicky Laflin and racing clear to score.

Trailfinders

Tries - Blanco, White, Seye, Taylor, Evans, Musgrove

Harlequins

Tries - Mueller, Aucken, Hannay, Peña, Haynes