Unbeaten Chiefs happy with underdogs tag at Bears

Exeter Chiefs have enjoyed a perfect start to the Premiership Women’s Rugby season but head coach Susie Appleby wants her team to feel like underdogs as they travel to Bristol Bears this weekend.

The clash at Ashton Gate will have added intrigue with USA Sevens superstar Ilona Maher set to be in attendance after signing for the Bears, but the action on the field will be the main attraction as two title contenders square off.

Bears, runners-up a year ago, made a statement of intent last week by winning at Gloucester-Hartpury, with Chiefs watching on during their bye.

Curiously, no team has yet won a game after their bye, but while that has not been a factor in Chiefs’ build-up, Appleby knows they face a tall task if they are to make it eight wins from eight in the league.

She said: “Bristol away is really tough and we’ve never been to Ashton Gate, so it’s a new experience for us. But the group is moving forward, we’re getting better every week and that is what we’re focusing on.

“Every single day, I say to the squad ‘let’s not get carried away’, there’s a top five or top six and anyone can turn each other over. The important thing is that you get as much momentum and continuity and the little moments fall in your favour, that is what we are after. Every day, we train like we’re second best. It’s a classic cliché but you have to because otherwise you get knocked off.

“When you go away to a top side, it’s about picking up points. Whether those are winning points or bonus points without the win, those little things are massively important.

“Of course, if you go away to Bristol and come home with the win, then you are still on the front foot, which is where we are at the moment. We’d love to get up to Bristol and come away with a win, but they have just turned over Gloucester and we’re coming off the back of a bye week so we’re not going to win as the stats show. Everything is against us but we’ll accept that and see what happens.”

Bears certainly showed what they could do last weekend, exacting some measure of revenge of Gloucester in a game where Dave Ward’s played their trademark possession game to great effect.

For Chiefs, who have built a three-point lead at the top of the table, winning the physical battle up front will be key to denying that possession and giving themselves a chance of coming away from Ashton Gate with a win.

Chiefs Women play our 100th game this weekend against @BristolBearsW!

8 players remain from our first season in 2019, with over 100 players wearing the Chiefs badge over the years 🖤

Read the full story 🗞 https://t.co/jdLXCCMOdr#SheInspires pic.twitter.com/edSx6hyHky

— Exeter Chiefs Women (@ExeChiefsWomen) December 5, 2024

Appleby added: “It’s a big pitch up at Ashton Gate, we’re back on grass which is great, we love playing on grass. The weather forecast is not very good so you’ve got to be able to deal with anything. We’ve got to be prepared to have any combinations ready to take the field to take on a big team, and Bristol are a big team.

“They hold onto the ball admirably well, they are really well coached, they are very, very skilful. Our set-piece has been performing pretty well but you’ve got an amazing lineout operator in Abbie Ward so that is going to be another challenge for us. You have an unbelievable England front row, coming head-to-head with our amazing front row so there will be some really interesting little battles going on.”

While Emily Robinson suffered an injury in training this week that will keep her out for an extended period, namesake Emily Tuttosi is in line for her first appearance of the campaign for Chiefs.