Marlie Packer wants "fairytale ending" with Saracens in PWR Final

Club legend Marlie Packer wants to end her Saracens career on a high when the club take on Trailfinders Women in the Premiership Women’s Rugby Final.

The 36-year-old Red Rose is leaving Sarries at the end of the 2025/26 season, when she will move across London to join Harlequins.

After a legendary Saracens career that has spanned nine years and three PWR titles, Packer would love nothing more than to go out with a bang on 28 June.

“It would mean everything,” said Packer. “Winning a fourth Premiership title with Saracens would be incredibly special. It would be the fairy-tale ending, the icing on the cake.

“People talk about a cherry on top, but I'd want a massive firework on top of it!

“This chapter of my career is getting closer to its end, and there'll be time to reflect on that afterwards. Right now, though, the focus is entirely on making sure we perform in the final.”

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Sarries reached the final in exhilarating fashion, beating Exeter Chiefs 40-38 at the StoneX Stadium, with the two teams exchanging 12 tries between them.

Scoring the last of those tries was Packer’s Red Roses teammate Jess Breach, who Packer is full of praise for.

“When Jess gets the ball in space, there's genuinely no stopping her,” she said. “Thank goodness for Jess. It was her 50th appearance for the club, and what an occasion to mark it. 

“Her first try was brilliant. Then, in the final minutes, she fielded the kick and just put the burners on. It was unreal.

“I’m standing in the middle of the pitch, and you can see me waving my finger in the air because I knew she was gone. Every emotion was going through me at once. Relief, excitement, joy – everything. We'd done it.”

Both Packer and Breach have enjoyed a whirlwind year with England, winning the World Cup in September 2025 and the Guinness Women's Six Nations in May.

Despite getting limited playing time at the World Cup, Packer stepped back into an England starting spot at openside flanker at the Six Nations eight months later to finish the Championship as top try scorer.

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And while those performances proved her own enduring level at the top of the game, the 36-year-old has always maintained confidence in her own form and is adamant that it’s all about the team.

“Playing well gives you confidence, but I've felt confident in my rugby for a while now,” said Packer.

“Even heading into the World Cup cycle, I felt I was playing some of the best rugby of my career and really enjoying it.

“Getting opportunities at international level has been great, but for me it's less about individual confidence and more about the confidence we have as a squad.

“At Saracens, everyone wants the best for each other. We push each other every day and feed confidence into one another. That's the most important thing heading into knockout rugby.”

Looking ahead to the PWR final, which takes place at The Twickenham Stoop on 28 June, Sarries only have one goal in mind.

After a tough 34-19 loss to Gloucester-Hartpury in the 2025 final, Packer hopes this year will be different.

“Over the last couple of seasons, Saracens have been very clear about where we want to be,” she said. 

“This year, though, there’s been a real emphasis not just on reaching the final, but on winning it. We don’t want to be the bridesmaids like we were last year.

“It's going to be an exciting occasion. A London derby between Ealing Trailfinders and Saracens at The Stoop is a brilliant showcase for the league.”