PWR Round 15 Preview

The race for play-off spots in Premiership Women’s Rugby is set to get even tighter in Round 15 with some crucial fixtures across the country.

Fourth-placed Harlequins host sixth-placed Trailfinders to kick things off on Friday night, while Exeter Chiefs, will look to consolidate their third place away to Leicester Tigers.

Then on Sunday, champions and leaders Gloucester-Hartpury head to Loughborough Lightning before Sale Sharks seek to extend their winning streak at home to Bristol Bears.

FRIDAY MARCH 20

Harlequins v Trailfinders Women – Twickenham Stoop, 7:30pm Live on BBC iPlayer

It’s all to play for at the Twickenham Stoop, with only three points separating fourth-placed Harlequins from Trailfinders Women in sixth going into this all-London clash.

Quins were unable to put clear daylight between themselves and the teams chasing the play-off spot they currently occupy as they lost a thriller 43-33 against Loughborough Lightning last Friday.

However, Trailfinders Women could not make up ground themselves as they were handily beaten 47-14 at Exeter Chiefs and dropped to sixth as a result.

Italy international Silvia Turani returns from injury to start at loosehead in one of four changes for Harlequins, which also includes scrum-half Lucy Burgess making her first PWR start for the club.

Centre Emma Uren is the one change Trailfinders have made to their backline, slotting in next to new Red Roses captain Meg Jones, while Scotland’s Emma Wassell comes into the second row, with Rachel Malcolm captaining the side in the absence of Kate Zackary.

Team news

Harlequins: 15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Beth Wilcock, 13 Claudia Peña, 12 Sarah Parry, 11 Freya Aucken, 10 Kayleigh Powell, 9 Lucy Burgess, 1 Silvia Turani, 2 Connie Powell, 3 Lizzie Hanlon, 4 Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, 5 Jade Konkel (c), 6 Nicole Wythe, 7 Sara Svoboda, 8 Aoife Wafer

Replacements: 16 Carys Phillips, 17 Laura Delgado, 18 Ruby Winstanley, 19 Fi McIntosh, 20 Maja Meuller, 21 Ella Cromack, 22 Lagi Tuima, 23 Lauren Torley

Trailfinders Women: 15 Niamh Gallagher, 14 Grace White, 13 Meg Jones, 12 Emma Uren, 11 Carys Cox, 10 Claire Gallagher, 9 Brooke Bradley, 1 Maya Montiel, 2 Georgia Ponsonby, 3 Tanya Kalounivale, 4 Maia Roos, 5 Emma Wassell, 6 Alana Borland, 7 Rachel Malcolm (c), 8 Abi Burton

Replacements: 16 Cris Blanco, 17 Alivia Leatherman, 18 Cassandra Tuffnail, 19 Shy Pinnock, 20 Haidee Head, 21 Ella Amory, 22 Vicky Laflin, 23 Ellie Boatman

Officials

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

Assistant Referees: Veryan Boscawen & Simon Park

Oval Insights

Harlequins

• Harlequins have the best lineout success rate in the PWR at 86.1% for the season and 100% in the latest round (both 1st in league).
• Sara Svoboda made 22 successful tackles in the latest round (1st in round), while Liana Mikaele-Tu'u leads the season with 13 dominant tackle contacts.
• Ella Cromack recorded the highest metres per kick in the latest round (40.8 meters).
• Ellie Kildunne leads with metres in terms of carry distance with 1,192 this season.

Trailfinders Women

• Trailfinders Women lead the PWR with 82.1% tackle success rate and 98 dominant tackle contacts this season.
• Maia Roos shares the league lead with 7 lineout steals this season and added 2 more in the latest round.
• Georgia Ponsonby has scored 8 tries this season (4th in league) and won 10 lineout throws in the latest round (1st in round).
• Claire Gallagher recorded the 2nd highest metres per kick (37.6) and total kick metres (301) in the latest round, contributing to the team's season-leading 29.7 metres per kick.

SATURDAY MARCH 21

Leicester Tigers v Exeter Chiefs – Mattioli Woods Welford Road, 12:30pm Live on YouTube

Exeter Chiefs look well set to qualify for the PWR play-offs and will aim to move closer to their goal when they travel to Mattioli Woods Welford Road to face Leicester Tigers.

Bottom side Leicester remained without a win in this season’s PWR after being beaten 62-3 on their own patch by Sale Sharks last Saturday.

Exeter, meanwhile, consolidated their third-place position with a comfortable 47-14 victory over Trailfinders Women at Sandy Park that ended a run of two straight defeats.

Jenny Maxwell captains Leicester from scrum-half on her final appearance before retirement, with Katherine Baverstock making her first start at loosehead and GB Sevens flyer Georgie Lingham coming in on the right wing.

USA international Gabby Cantorna replaces the injured Liv McGoverne at fly-half for Exeter whose other changes include a fresh midfield pairing of Naomi Brennan and Danielle Preece.

Team news

Leicester Tigers: 15 Kristin Bitter, 14 Georgie Lingham, 13 Emily Henrich, 12 Jemima McCalman, 11 Karolina Kacirkova, 10 Tess Feury, 9 Jenny Maxwell (c), 1 Katherine Baverstock, 2 Micke Gunter, 3 Nadine Vincent, 4 Deni Ross, 5 Emerson Allen, 6 Jordan Russell, 7 Morgan Richardson, 8 Tiana Gordon

Replacements: 16 Alana Bainbridge, 17 Danielle Allen-Solly, 18 Clodagh Dunne, 19 Hermione Farmer, 20 Ali Coleman, 21 Eneka Labeyrie, 22 Abileigh Priestnall, 23 Zara Pickwick

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Merryn Elworthy, 14 Katie Buchanan, 13 Danielle Preece, 12 Naomi Brennan, 11 Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, 10 Gabby Cantorna, 9 Flo Robinson, 1 Demi Swann, 2 Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, 3 DaLeaka Menin, 4 Abby Duguid, 5 Dorothy Wall, 6 Emily Robinson (c), 7 Maisy Allen, 8 Maddie Feaunati

Replacements: 16 Emily Tuttosi, 17 Hope Rogers, 18 Alessia Skeates, 19 Gabriella Nigrelli, 20 Zoë Dare, 21 Lucy Nye, 22 Eilidh Sinclair, 23 Ellen Scantlebury

Officials

Referee: Matt Sharpe

Assistant Referees: Simon Park & Steven Randall

Oval Insights

Leicester Tigers

• Leicester Tigers have the highest restart retention rate in the PWR at 6.6% and 8 total restarts retained this season (both 1st in league).
• Jemima McCalman leads the PWR with 4 interceptions this season and added another in the latest round.
• Morgan Richardson made 20 successful tackles in the latest round (3rd in round) and has 157 for the season (6th in league).
• Micke Gunter leads the PWR with 93 lineout throws won this season, while Leicester achieved 100% lineout success and 100% goal kick success in the latest round (both 1st in round).

Exeter Chiefs

• Exeter Chiefs lead the PWR with 107 scrums won and 2,290 successful tackles this season.
• Maisy Allen has made 246 successful tackles this season (1st in league) and scored 2 tries in the latest round.
• Emily Robinson leads the PWR with 282 attacking ruck entries this season, while Nancy McGillivray recorded 4 dominant tackle contacts in the latest round (1st in round).
• Liv McGoverne has accumulated 3,434 kick metres this season (2nd in league), contributing to Exeter's league-leading 7,612 total kick metres.

SUNDAY MARCH 22

Loughborough Lightning v Gloucester-Hartpury – cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, 12:15pm Live on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+

Champions Gloucester-Hartpury will put their unbeaten record on the line again when they face Loughborough Lightning in front of the TNT Sports cameras at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

Loughborough rekindled their play-off hopes with a crucial 43-33 home victory against Harlequins to end a winless run that had lasted since the turn of the year.

Gloucester put down a massive marker last Sunday by defeating Saracens 22-17 at the StoneX Stadium to leapfrog their opponents and go top of the table.

Lightning have named an unchanged line-up that includes all six of their players called into England’s squad for the upcoming Women’s Six Nations.

For the Circus, loosehead Ranni Samuda and lock Steph Else come into the pack while Lizzie Goulden comes in for Emma Sing at full-back.

Team news

Loughborough Lightning: 15 Bulou Mataitoga, 14 Fancy Bermudez, 13 Alev Kelter, 12 Carmela Morrall, 11 Bo Westcombe-Evans, 10 Helena Rowland, 9 Lis Maude, 1 Anne Young, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Christine Belisle, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Rachel Ehrecke, 6 Daisy Hibbert-Jones (c), 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Haineala Lutui

Replacements: 16 Paige Stathopoulos, 17 Isla Curphey, 18 Mae Sagapolu, 19 Becky Boyd, 20 Kendall Waudby, 21 Tahlia Brody, 22 Meg Davey, 23 Helen Nelson

Gloucester-Hartpury: 15 Lizzie Goulden, 14 Mia Venner, 13 Hannah Dallavalle, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Rachel Lund, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Natasha Hunt; 1 Ranni Samuda, 2 Kelsey Jones, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Sam Monaghan, 5 Steph Else, 6 Bethan Lewis, 7 Georgia Brock, 8 Alex Matthews

Replacements: 16 Lucy Simpson, 17 El Perry, 18 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 19 Sarah Beckett, 20 Kate Williams, 21 Tabitha Copson, 22 Bianca Blackburn, 23 Molly Bunker

Officials

Referee: Henry Pearson

Assistant Referees: Rebecca Piddlesden & Gregg Dawson

TMO: Nikki O’Donnell

Oval Insights

Loughborough Lightning

• Loughborough Lightning recorded 181 carries, 31 dominant carry contacts, and 1,310 carry distance in the latest round (all 1st in round).
• Alev Kelter leads the PWR with 79 defenders beaten this season and ranks 2nd with 249 post-contact metres.
• Bo Westcombe-Evans has made 19 initial breaks this season (1st in league) and added 5 more in the latest round (also 1st).
• Haineala Lutui led the latest round with 6 dominant contacts and ranks 1st in the league with 198 carries this season.

Gloucester-Hartpury

• Gloucester-Hartpury rank 1st in the PWR for mauls won (65) and maul penalties won (11) this season.
• Georgia Brock led the latest round with 34 attacking ruck entries and 39 total ruck entries, showcasing her breakdown dominance.
• Alex Matthews scored 3 tries and 15 points in the latest round (both 1st in round).
• Sam Monaghan leads the PWR with 7 lineout steals this season, complementing the team's league-best 21 lineout steals.

Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears – Morson Stadium, 3pm Live on YouTube

Sale Sharks will aim to maintain the winning streak that has propelled their play-off push when they welcome eighth-placed Bristol Bears to the Morson Stadium.

Sale go into this just two points behind fourth-placed Harlequins after comfortably winning 62-3 at bottom side Leicester Tigers to make it four PWR victories in a row.

Bristol had last weekend off, but they were also emphatic winners over Leicester in their previous outing after recording a 68-0 scoreline at Shaftesbury Park.

England internationals Morwenna Talling and Holly Aitchison return to the Sharks’ line-up as does the Red Roses’ newly appointed vice-captain, Amy Cokayne.

Rownita Marston-Mulhearn returns from eight months out with an ACL injury for the Bears after being named among the replacements while Reneeqa Bonner is back from a quad injury on the right wing.

Team news

Sale Sharks: 15 Lizzie Duffy, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Beatrice Rigoni, 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 Molly Wright, 17 Gwen Pyrs, 18 Evie Roach, 19 Charlotte Fray, 20 Katie Childs, 21 Amy Relf, 22 Asia Hogan-Rochester, 23 Evie Wills.

Bristol Bears: 15 Ella Lovibond, 14 Reneeqa Bonner, 13 Emma Orr, 12 Meryl Smith, 11 Millie David, 10 Ruahei Demant (cc), 9 Keira Bevan, 1 Simi Pam, 2 Lana Skeldon, 3 Sarah Bern (cc), 4 Hollie Cunningham, 5 Delaney Burns, 6 Demelza Short, 7 Evie Gallagher, 8 Pamphinette Buisa

Replacements: 16 Amy Dale, 17 Maisie Davies, 18 Aisha Jah, 19 Christiana Balogun, 20 Rownita Marston-Mulhearn, 21 Jenny Herring, 22 Jenny Hesketh, 23 Jenna De Vera.

Officials

Referee: Natarsha Ganley

Assistant Referees: George Ounsley & Rosie Procter

Oval Insights

Sale Sharks

• Sale Sharks dominated the latest round with 10 tries and 62 points scored (both 1st in round).
• Rhona Lloyd has scored 11 tries this season (2nd in league), while Lizzie Duffy has provided 9 try assists (2nd in league).
• Asia Hogan-Rochester recorded the highest metres per carry in the latest round (17.4) and 3 initial breaks (2nd in round).
• Courtney Keight led the latest round with 2 tackle turnovers won, contributing to Sale's 10 total turnovers won in the round (1st in round).

Bristol Bears

• Bristol Bears lead the PWR with 378 defenders beaten and 42 total jackals this season.
• Evie Gallagher has won 18 turnovers this season (1st in league) and recorded 18 offloads (4th in league).
• Sarah Bern has made 42 dominant contacts (3rd in league) and 222 post-contact metres (3rd in league) this season.
• Keira Bevan leads the PWR with 37 box kicks this season, contributing to Bristol's league-best 86.7% scrums won.