PWR Round 13 Preview

Derbies in the Westcountry and the capital are part of the Round 13 menu as the PWR returns.

Gloucester Hartpury welcome Exeter Chiefs to Kingsholm to kick off the action under Friday night lights before Harlequins host Saracens on Saturday lunchtime.

Later on Saturday afternoon, Bristol Bears take on Leicester Tigers, while Sale Sharks entertain Loughborough Lightning.

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Gloucester Hartpury v Exeter Chiefs – Kingsholm, 7.30pm, live on BBC iPlayer

Gloucester Hartpury go in search of their 11th win from as many games when they welcome third-placed Exeter Chiefs on Friday night.

The Circus beat Harlequins 45-22 in their most recent outing in Round 11 while they were 47-31 victors at Sandy Park in the reverse fixture.

Mo Hunt will make her 100th Gloucester Hartpury appearance in this one, with Dan Murphy making five changes to the side who defeated Quins.

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Chiefs are looking to bounce back from a 45-7 defeat at Saracens last time out and welcome back captain Emily Robinson and lock Dorothy Wall. Hooker El Febrey makes her first start while Kayleigh Priest looks set for a PWR debut from the bench.

Team news

Gloucester Hartpury: 15 Nel Metcalfe, 14 Mia Venner, 13 Hannah Dallavalle, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Rachel Lund, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Natasha Hunt (C); 1 Niamh O'Dowd, 2 Kelsey Jones, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Sam Monaghan, 5 Sarah Beckett, 6 Kate Williams, 7 Georgia Brock, 8 Alex Matthews

Replacements: 16 Lucy Simpson, 17 Erin Bradley, 18 Ranni Samuda, 19 Steph Else, 20 Bethan Lewis, 21 Bianca Blackburn, 22 Lizzie Goulden, 23 Molly Bunker

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Sabrina Poulin, 14 Katie Buchanan, 13 Alex Tessier, 12 Nancy McGillivray, 11 Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, 10 Liv McGoverne, 9 Flo Robinson (vc); 1 Hope Rogers, 2 Eleanor Febrey, 3 DaLeaka Menin, 4 Linde van der Velden, 5 Dorothy Wall, 6 Emily Robinson (c), 7 Maisy Allen (vc), 8 Maddie Feaunati

Replacements: 16 Kayleigh Priest, 17 Demi Swann, 18 Amy Rule, 19 Abby Duguid, 20 Gabriella Nigrelli, 21 Eilidh Sinclair, 22 Gabby Cantorna, 23 Merryn Elworthy

Officials

Referee: Charlie Gayther

Assistant Referees: Craig Maxwell-Keys and Iain Kiy

Oval Insights

Gloucester-Hartpury

• Gloucester-Hartpury Women lead the league in try assists (44) and have made the most visits to the opposition 22 this season (159).
• Emma Sing has gained the most metres carrying (863) in the Premiership and boasts the best goal-kicking success rate (80.4%).
• Natasha Hunt leads the Premiership with 12 try assists this season.
• Sam Monaghan has secured the most lineout steals in the league (6), contributing to Gloucester-Hartpury's league-leading 19 lineout steals this season.

Exeter Chiefs

• Exeter Chiefs Women lead the Premiership in carries (1630) and carry distance (9070m) this season.
• Maisy Allen tops the league with 213 successful tackles this season and ranks 2nd for total ruck entries (301).
• Emily Robinson has made the most attacking ruck entries in the Premiership this season (246).
• Hope Rogers has won 6 tackle turnovers this season (1st in league) contributing to Exeter's league-leading 1954 successful tackles.

Harlequins v Saracens – Twickenham Stoop, 12.15pm – Live on TNT Sports

Harlequins and Saracens will battle for bragging rights at Twickenham Stoop on Saturday, with the hosts looking for revenge.

Sarries came out on top in the reverse fixture in Round 2, three tries in the opening 10 minutes setting them on their way to a 47-10 win.

Both sides have made two changes to their starting XVs, with Connie Powell coming in at hooker and Sarah Parry returning in the centres for the hosts.

Olivia Apps starts at scrum-half for Saracens, whose other change sees Laetitia Royer start her first PWR game of 2026 in the second row.

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Team News

Harlequins: 15. Kayleigh Powell, 14. Lauren Torley, 13. Claudia Peña, 12. Sarah Parry, 11. Freya Aucken, 10. Ella Cromack, 9. Emma Swords; 1. Zara Green, 2. Connie Powell, 3. Lizzie Hanlon, 4. Fi McIntosh, 5. Jade Konkel (C), 6. Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, 7. Sara Svoboda, 8. Aoife Wafer (6)

Replacements: 16. Carys Phillips, 17. Laura Delgado, 18. Ruby Winstanley, 19. Nicole Wythe, 20. Maja Meuller, 21. Lucy Burgess, 22. Lagi Tuima, 23. Beth Wilcock

Saracens:
15 Jess Breach, 14 Alysha Corrigan,13 Emma Hardy, 12 Sophie Bridger, 11 Lotte Sharp, 10 Zoe Harrison (cc) 9, Olivia Apps; 1 Kelsey Clifford, 2 May Campbell (cc), 3 Donna Rose, 4 Jodie Verghese, 5 Laetitia Royer, 6 Gabrielle Senft, 7 Julia Omokhuale, 8 Poppy Cleall

Replacements: 16 Bryony Field, 17 Liz Crake, 18 Carmen Tremelling, 19 Louise McMillan, 20 Georgia Evans, 21 Tori Sellors, 22 Amelia MacDougall, 23 Emma Hardy

Officials

Referee: Jamie Parr

Assistant Referees: Joe James and Veryan Boscawen

TMO: Holly Wood

Harlequins

• Harlequins Women recorded the best tackle success percentage in the latest round (86.9%) and rank 2nd in the Premiership for carries this season (1595).
• Ellie Kildunne ranks 2nd in the Premiership for metres made (747).
• Liana Mikaele-Tu'u made the most attacking ruck entries in the latest round (33) and leads the league in dominant tackle contacts (10).
• Lucy Packer ranks 2nd in the Premiership for try assists (8) and recorded 3 box kicks in the latest round (3rd in round).

Saracens

• Saracens Women lead the Premiership in tries scored (75) and points (485) this season, while also recording the most tries (7) and points (45) in the latest round.
• May Campbell is joint top try-scorer in the Premiership with 9 tries this season.
• Zoe Harrison leads the league with 45 successful goals and ranks 2nd for goal-kicking success percentage (78.9%).
• Poppy Cleall tops the Premiership for offloads (23) and ranks 5th for try assists (6).

Bristol Bears v Leicester Tigers – Shaftesbury Park, 2.30pm, live on YouTube

The bottom two teams in the table clash at Shaftesbury Park as Bristol Bears welcome Leicester Tigers, with the hosts having a chance to climb up the standings.

Bristol picked up their first win in three games as they produced a superb comeback to defeat Loughborough Lightning 24-21 on their own patch last Sunday.

Leicester’s wait for a first PWR win of the season continued, however, as they fell to a 40-19 home loss against Trailfinders Women.

GB Sevens flyer Charlotte Woodman makes her debut for the Bears on the left wing while centre Jenna De Vera makes her first start since recovering from a long-term knee injury.

There is also a debutant for the Tigers, with Lucy Weaver coming in at scrum-half while USA international Kristin Bitter returns to their starting line-up at full-back.

Team news

Bristol Bears: 15 Ella Lovibond, 14 Jaz Joyce, 13 Emma Orr, 12 Jenna De Vera, 11 Charlotte Woodman, 10 Meryl Smith (c), 9 Jenny Hesketh; 1, Maisie Davies, 2 Lana Skeldon, 3 Elliann Clarke, 4 Nicola Beet, 5 Delaney Burns, 6 Demelza Short, 7 Jenny Herring, 8 Pamphinette Buisa

Replacements: 16 Amy Dale, 17 Simi Pam, 18 Sarah Bern, 19 Hollie Cunningham, 20 Evie Gallagher, 21 Christiana Balogun, 22 Keira Bevan, 23 Lauren Bailey.

Leicester Tigers: 15 Kristin Bitter, 14 Emily Henrich, 13 Jemima McCalman**,** 12 Abileigh Priestnall, 11 Karolina Kacirkova, 10 Tess Feury (c), 9 Lucy Weaver; 1 Ellie Smith, 2 Micke Gunter, 3 Clodagh Dunne, 4 Deni Ross, 5 Emerson Allen, 6 Hermione Farmer, 7 Morgan Richardson, 8. Tiana Gordon

Replacements: 16 Alana Bainbridge, 17 Danielle Allen-Solly, 18 Nadine Vincent, 19 Leah Heath, 20 Jordan Russell, 21 Jenny Maxwell, 22 Amelie Anstead, 23 Zara Pickwick

Officials

Referee: Matt Sharpe

Assistant Referees: Michael Lamb, Gareth Holsgrove

Oval insights

Bristol Bears

• Bristol Bears Women lead the Premiership with 39 total jackals this season (1st) and recorded the most successful tackles in the latest round with 231 (1st).
• Evie Gallagher tops the league with 18 turnovers won this season and leads defensive ruck entries with 117 (1st).
• Millie David is the team's top try scorer with 9 tries this season (joint 1st in league).
• Emma Orr created 3 initial breaks in the latest round (1st in league) while helping Bristol record 28 defenders beaten (2nd in round).

Leicester Tigers

• Leicester Tigers Women led the latest round in lineout success rate (93.3%) and lineout throws won (14).
• Tiana Gordon secured 3 turnovers in the latest round (1st) and ranks 2nd in the league for total turnovers won this season (12).
• Micke Gunter leads the Premiership in lineout throws won with 82 and topped the latest round with 12 successful throws.
• Jemima McCalman has made the most interceptions in the league this season (3) and gained 125 metres in carry distance in the latest round (4th in round).

Sale Sharks v Loughborough Lightning – Morson Stadium, 3pm - Live on YouTube

Two teams locked on points in the table meet at the Morson Stadium with visitors Loughborough Lightning ahead of hosts Sale Sharks only on points difference.

Sale made it two wins in a row last week as they edged past Harlequins 15-12 while Loughborough had the disappointment of letting a 21-5 lead slip in their home defeat against Bristol.

Shona Campbell comes in for Canada’s Asia Hogan-Rochester on the left wing in the Sharks’ only change from last week.

World Cup winner Helena Rowland makes her first appearance of the season for Lightning following ankle surgery and starts at fly-half while Meg Davey returns at scrum-half.

Team news

Sale Sharks: 15 Lizzie Duffy, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Evie Wills, 12 Katana Howard, 11 Shona Campbell, 10 Holly Aitchison, 9 Olivia Ortiz; 1 Tysh Harper, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Nick James, 4 Morwenna Talling, 5 Erica Jarrell-Searcy, 6 Eva Donaldson, 7 Georgie Perris-Redding (c), 8 Brittany Hogan

Replacements: 16 Milly Hyndman, 17 Gwen Pyrs, 18 Evie Roach, 19 Charlotte Fray, 20 Sharifa Kasolo, 21 Amy Relf, 22 Asia Hogan-Rochester, 23 Katie Childs

Loughborough Lightning: 15 Helen Nelson, 14 Bulou Mataitoga, 13 Alev Kelter, 12 Carmela Morrall, 11 Bo Westcombe-Evans, 10 Helena Rowland, 9 Meg Davey; 1 Isla Curphey, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Christine Belisle, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Rachel Ehrecke, 6 Becky Boyd, 7 Daisy Hibbert-Jones (c), 8 Haineala Lutui

Replacements: 16 Paige Stathopoulos, 17 Anne Young, 18 Mae Sagapolu, 19 Tahlia Brody, 20 Kendall Waudby, 21 Lis Maude, 22 Fancy Bermudez, 23 Lucia Scott

Officials

Referee: Nikki O’Donnell

Assistant referees: Henry Pearson, Gregg Dawson

Oval insights

Sale Sharks

• Sale Sharks Women have recorded the most in-play kicks (233) and lineout throws won (128) this season.
• Rhona Lloyd ranks 3rd in the Premiership for tries scored (8) and leads the league in attacking catch success (5).
• Amy Cokayne has won 6 tackle turnovers this season (joint 1st) and ranks 4th for lineout throws won (62).
• Holly Aitchison topped the latest round with 16 kicks in play and 2 retained kicks (joint 1st in round).

Loughborough Lightning

• Loughborough Lightning recorded the most dominant carry contacts in the latest round (52) and lead the Premiership in post-contact metres this season (1935).
• Haineala Lutui tops the league for carries this season (166) and led the latest round for dominant carries (11).
• Alev Kelter has beaten the most defenders in the Premiership this season (68) and also led the latest round in this category (7).
• Helen Nelson leads the league in both kick metres (3329) and retained kicks (17) this season.