ALLIANZ PREMIERSHIP WOMEN'S RUGBY: ROUND 7 REVIEW

Saracens remain at the top of Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby after overcoming Sale Sharks in Round 7.

Elsewhere Gloucester-Hartpury continued their perfect start to the season with victory over Loughborough Lightning.

At Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Leicester Tigers came close to their first win of the season as Harlequins edged a pulsating encounter. 

On Sunday, Exeter Chiefs ensured the gap to pace-setters Saracens remained just three points with a bonus-point victory over Trailfinders. 

Gloucester-Hartpury 42-24 Loughborough Lightning - Hartpury University Stadium

England full-back Emma Sing was in emphatic form for Gloucester-Hartpury as the current Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby champions beat Loughborough Lightning 42-24 at Hartpury University Stadium.

Kicking six conversions and scoring her team’s opening try, Sing was a significant factor in the Cherry and White’s success. Going down a Cath O’Donnell try early, Sing was sent over the whitewash by Natasha Hunt with just 12 minutes on the clock and converted her own try shortly after.

Gloucester-Hartpury built up a dominant score before the half, with Kelsey Jones, Hannah Jones and Sam Monaghan all crossing the try line, while O’Donnell added a second to her tally.

Loughborough would have the better of the second half, outscoring their hosts thanks to tries for Kathryn Treder and Bo Westcombe-Evans, while Hannah Jones’ second effort of the game added some extra gloss to the scoreline for the hosts.

Gloucester-Hartpury

Scorers: Try - Sing, K. Jones, H. Jones (2), Monaghan, Brock

Loughborough Lightning

Scorers: Try - O’Donnell (2), Trader, Westcombe-Evans

FULL TIME

New Year, same Circus. We get our fifth consecutive win. Onto Trailfinders!

🍒 42 - 24 ⚡️ | #GLOvLOU pic.twitter.com/HEXpN8lTJk

— Gloucester-Hartpury (@gloshartpury) January 6, 2024

Sale Sharks 3-69 Saracens - Heywood Road

There was sheer delight for Saracens in Cheshire as Alex Austerberry’s team crossed the whitewash on 11 occasions to overcome Sale Sharks 69-3.

Akina Gondwe would score the opening score for Saracens from the back of the maul, with Sale Sharks responding shortly after with a penalty from Vicky Irwin.

Paige Farries would then race over to score her first ten of the afternoon and  Marlie Packer would cross the try line twice to register a try scoring bonus point before the break, although the London club’s exertions were far from over.

Poppy Cleall, Jess Breach and Leanne Infante all scored quick fire tries after the match resumed. McKinley Hunt would snipe through for a try in between two more for Canada wing Farries and Sophie de Goede’s late score put an end to proceedings in the North West.

Sale Sharks

Scorers: Try -

Saracens

Scorers: Try - Gondwe, Farries (3), M. Packer (2), Cleall, Breach, Infante, Hunt, de Goede

Back with a bang. 💥

What a way to start the new year‼️#YourSaracens💫 #SALvSAR⁠@StoneX_Official pic.twitter.com/aC5P5A1chM

— Saracens Women (@SaracensWomen) January 6, 2024

Leicester Tigers 24-33 Harlequins - Mattioli Woods Welford Road

A breathless second half at Mattioli Woods Welford Road saw Harlequins get back to winning ways with a victory over Leicester Tigers.

Flo Robinson opened the scoring for the visitors, the scrum-half a late starter after Lucy Packer was ruled out due to illness, and benefitted from the dynamic running of Abbie Fleming and Shaunagh Brown.

Kaitlan Leaney would extend Harlequins’ lead following a spell of consistent pressure in Leicester’s 22m, before Meg Jones took matters into her own hands with a superb individual score for Tigers and Ellie Kildunne’s first try of the season for Harlequins would end the first half.

A maul try soon after proceedings got back underway would breathe new life into the home side, who remained undeterred when Bryony Cleall powered over their try line. Further tries for Tahlia Brody and Francesca McGhie would bring the scoreline within two and making for a fascinating 20 minutes in the East Midlands.

To secure their second win of the season Leaney would power across for Amy Turner’s team again and send the London club home happiest.

Leicester Tigers

Scorers: Try - M. Jones, Brody, McGhie

Harlequins

Scorers: Try - F. Robinson, Leaney (2), Kildunne, Cleall

Back to winning ways 💪#COYQ #LEIvHAR pic.twitter.com/QOQ1GSzdW2

— Harlequins Women 🃏 (@HarlequinsWomen) January 6, 2024

Exeter Chiefs 38-19 Trailfinders Women - Sandy Park

Exeter Chiefs wrapped up all five points inside the first half in a 38-19 victory over Trailfinders which keeps them within touching distance of leaders Saracens. 

The hosts stormed to a 24-7 half-time lead and scored two more tries shortly after the interval before Trailfinders hit back late on.

Hope Rogers opened the scoring after just three minutes after a brilliant break on halfway from Brooke Bradley and Claudia MacDonald added a second just a few minutes later. 

Danielle Preece added a third after a perfectly executed kick through from Alex Tessier and Gabby Cantorna coasted home under the sticks for the all-important fourth. 

It was always going to be challenging keeping Abby Dow quiet for all 80 minutes and she dived over to offer Trailfinders hope on the brink of half time. 

But faint promise of a comeback was swiftly put to bed when Cliodhna Moloney and debutant Taz Bricknell scored to put the finishing touches to a fine team display. 

Trailfinders cut the deficit in the closing stages with a wonder try from Carys Cox and simple finish from Kate Zackary against her old club, but Giselle Mather's side ran out of time in their pursuit of a consolation point. 

Exeter Chiefs

Scorers: Try - Rogers, MacDonald, Preece, Cantorna, Moloney, Bricknell

Trailfinders Women

Scorers: Try - Dow, Cox, Zackary