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Harlequins welcome Bristol Bears to Allianz Stadium for Big Game 17, as all Premiership Women’s Rugby sides look to sign-off from 2025 in style in Round 8.
Big Game kicks off the weekend on Saturday before a hat-trick of fixtures on Sunday.
League leaders Saracens travel to Sale Sharks before Loughborough Lightning host Trailfinders Women in an enticing battle between two sides chasing a place in the play-offs.
Leicester Tigers then welcome unbeaten Gloucester Hartpury to Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Saturday 20 December
Harlequins v Bristol Bears – Allianz Stadium – 3pm, live on TNT Sports
In one of the marquee games of the season, one of the marquee players in the league makes her first PWR start.
Aoife Wafer has timed her return to fitness perfectly and is set to run out with her teammates for the first time at Allianz Stadium, where Harlequins host Bristol Bears in Big Game.
Wafter signed for Quins last summer but suffered a knee injury during the World Cup that put her arrival on ice. However, her arrival gives fifth-placed Quins a huge boost ahead of the winter break.
Elsewhere, Lauren Torley returns to the starting line-up on the right wing, to join forces with Beth Wilcock and Ellie Kildunne – who was second on BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Head Coach Ross Chisholm said: “As a group, we’re incredibly excited about Big Game 17 this weekend. It’s always a landmark day in the calendar and we’re looking forward to the occasion.
Wafer is not the only international eyeing a first start this weekend.
"It's going to be a good showdown and a game to watch!"
— Harlequins Women 🃏 (@HarlequinsWomen) December 19, 2025
2⃣ sides who love entertaining rugby going head-to-head tomorrow.
🔗https://t.co/HXWGVaMPKT#COYQ pic.twitter.com/EgC7nVpc95
Pamphinette Buisa will make her Bristol Bears debut and will go up against Wafer in the back row. Abbie Ward captains the side from the second row, where she partners Hollie Cunningham, while in the backline, Keira Bevan returns from injury at scrum half.
Elsewhere, there’s a long-awaited return from injury for Meg Varley, who makes her first appearance in 12 months, starting in the midfield alongside Savannah Picton-Powell.
Harlequins: 15. Ellie Kildunne, 14. Lauren Torley, 13. Claudia Pena, 12. Sarah Parry, 11. Beth Wilcock, 10. Ella Cromack, 9. Lucy Packer; 1. Jessie Spurrier, 2. Carys Phillips, 3. Lizzie Hanlon, 4. Fi McIntosh, 5. Jade Konkel (C), 6. Nicole Wythe, 7. Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, 8. Aoife Wafer
Impact players: 16. Connie Powell, 17. Laura Delgado, 18. Ruby Winstanley, 19. Abbie Fleming, 20. Sara Svoboda, 21. Lucy Burgess, 22. Kayleigh Powell, 23. Freya Aucken
Bristol Bears: 15. Jenny Hesketh, 14. Reneeqa Bonner, 13. Meg Varley, 12. Savannah Picton-Powell, 11. Millie David, 10. Ruahei Demant, 9. Keira Bevan; 1. Simi Pam, 2. Amy Dale, 3. Sarah Bern, 4. Hollie Cunningham, 5. Abbie Ward (c), 6. Christiana Balogun, 7. Pamphinette Buisa, 8. Gwennan Hopkins.
Replacements: 16. Jess Sprague, 17. Hannah Botterman, 18. Elliann Clarke, 19. Jenny Herring, 20. Demelza Short, 21. Tilly Ryall, 22. Lucie Skuse, 23. Jasmine Joyce.
Sunday 21 December
Sale Sharks v Saracens – Morson Stadium – 1pm, live on YouTube
Saracens are one win away from cementing their place at the top of the PWR table on Christmas Day, as they prepare to visit Sale Sharks on Sunday.
Sharks have not won a league game since the opening weekend against Leicester Tigers and face a tough game against a Saracens side on fire.
Tom Hudson has named an unchanged front-row for the visit of a star-studded Saracens team, with hooker Milly Hyndman starting once again alongside props Tysh Harper and Nick James.
England star Morwenna Talling returns alongside Erica Jarrell-Searcy in the second-row, while captain Georgie Perris-Redding, Katie Childs and Sharifa Kasolo will combine in the back-row.
Meanwhile, Saracens have made two changes from the side that beat Exeter Chiefs – with both coming in the front row.
Our final round of 2025 🔥
— Premiership Women's Rugby (@ThePWR) December 19, 2025
Watch all the action live on YouTube, BBC iPlayer and TNT Sports 📺#PWR pic.twitter.com/Jwv5ZmsFCF
Prop Liz Crake and hooker Bryony Field start ahead of Kelsey Clifford and May Campbell, as the leaders go in search of one final flourish to end 2025.
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. Amelia Hyndman, 3. Nick James, 4. Morwenna Talling, 5. Erica Jarrell-Searcy, 6. Georgie Perris-Redding ©, 7. Katie Childs, 8. Sharifa Kasolo.
Replacements: 16. Leah Bartlett, 17. Gwen Pyrs, 18. Sophie Benavent, 19. Eva Donaldson, 20. Trudy Cowan, 21. Amy Relf, 22. Laura Perrin, 23, Courtney Keight.
Saracens: 15. Jemma-Jo Linkins, 14. Alysha Corrigan, 13. Sydney Gregson, 12. Sophie Bridger, 11. Lotte Sharp, 10. Zoe Harrison, 9. Olivia Apps, 1. Liz Crake, 2. Bryony Field, 3. Donna Rose, 4. Rosie Galligan, 5. Louise McMillan, 6. Georgia Evans, 7. Julia Omokhuale, 8. Marlie Packer
Replacements: 16. May Campbell, 17. Kelsey Clifford, 18. Carmen Tremelling, 19. Gabrielle Senft, 20. Poppy Cleall, 21. Tori Sellors, 22. Emma Hardy, 23. Jess Breach
Loughborough Lightning v Trailfinders Women – cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens – 2pm, live on YouTube
Loughborough Lightning welcome Trailfinders Women to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens as both sides seek to continue their push for the play-offs.
Just a point separates the sides and Lightning boss Nathan Smith makes just two changes from their away victory at Bristol Bears last weekend.
Kathryn Treder and Isla Curphey both come into the front row alongside Mae Sagapolu, who twice crossed the whitewash against Bears.
Otherwise, it is unchanged for the hosts who once again name an imposing back row trio of Haineala Lutui, Daisy Hibbert-Jones and Sadia Kabeya.
🗣️”𝗜 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗧 𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗧𝗢𝗡”
— Loughborough Lightning Rugby ⚡️ (@LightningRugby) December 18, 2025
Lock Lilli Ives Campion chats ahead of our final fixture in 2025 at cinch Stadium this weekend against @TrailfindersW ⬇️https://t.co/wsH1qU8pou pic.twitter.com/VOd6zKNfqV
Trailfinders meanwhile make 11 changes from their comfortable victory over Leicester Tigers, with Vicky Laflin, Ella Amory, Maia Roos, and captain Kate Zackary the returning quartet.
Laflin swaps wings to accommodate the returning Grace White, with Rosie Inman rounding out the back three while Amory shifts to scrum-half with Claire Gallagher in at fly-half.
Carys Cox and Meg Jones round out the backs, while Rachel Malcolm and Abi Burton join Zackary in the back row.
Loughborough Lightning: 15. Lucia Scott, 14. Bulou Mataitoga, 13. Alev Kelter, 12. Carmela Morrall, 11. Bo Westcombe-Evans, 10. Helen Nelson, 9. Alicia Maude; 1. Isla Curphey, 2. Kathryn Treder, 3. Mae Sagapolu, 4. Lilli Ives Campion, 5. Rachel Ehrecke, 6. Daisy Hibbert-Jones ©, 7. Sadia Kabeya, 8. Haneala Lutui
Replacements: 16. Kendall Waudby, 17. Amelia Williams, 18. Christine Belisle, 19. Keevy Fitzpatrick, 20. Tahlia Brody, 21. Meg Davey, 22. Lia Green, 23. Fancy Bermudez
Trailfinders: 15. Rosie Inman, 14. Grace White, 13. Meg Jones, 12. Carys Cox, 11. Vicky Laflin, 10. Claire Gallagher, 9. Ella Amory; 1. Alivia Leatherman, 2. Georgia Ponsonby, 3. Maya Montiel, 4. Maia Roos, 5. Alana Borland, 6. Rachel Malcolm, 7. Kate Zackary (c), 8. Abi Burton
Replacements: 16. Cristina Blanco, 17. Annabel Meta, 18. Cana Williams, 19. Shya Pinnock, 20. Cara Brincat, 21. Grace Moore, 22. Isla Norman-Bell, 23. Niamh Gallagher
Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Hartpury – Mattioli Woods Welford Road – 3pm, live on BBC iPlayer
Gloucester Hartpury will hope to maintain their 100% record this season when they travel to Leicester Tigers for the Slater Cup.
Gloucester Hartpury have made 10 changes to their side, including a first PWR start for prop Niamh O’Dowd and second row Alaw Pyrs.
Captain Kate Williams, Tabitha Copson and Sophie McQueen, who is set to make her league debut, complete the pack.
Meanwhile, Tess Feury returns to captain the side for the final game of the year at Mattioli Woods Welford Road as she replaces Kristin Bitter at full-back.
Bitter moves to her most common position of flyhalf as Abileigh Priestnall moves to a finisher role.
Elsewhere in the backline, Zoe Evans comes in for Charlotte Daley, whilst a Tigers debut beckons for Eve Slater.
The back-three player recently signed a contract with the club to become the first player to graduate from the Tigers Women’s Under-23 programme.
Leicester Tigers: 15. Tess Feury, 14. Zoe Evans, 13. Emily Henrich, 12. Georgie Lingham, 11. Karolina Kacirkova, 10. Kristin Bitter, 9. Eneka Labeyrie, 1. Ellie Smith, 2. Micke Gunter, 3. Clogagh Dunne, 4. Deni Ross, 5. Emerson Allen, 6. Jordan Russell, 7. Hermione Farmer, 8. Tiana Gordon
Replacements: 16. Alicia Watkins, 17. Dani Allen-Solly, 18. Nadine Vincent, 19. Leah Heath, 20. Morgan Richardson, 21. Jenny Maxwell, 22. Abileigh Priestnall, 23. Eve Slater
Gloucester Hartpury: 15 Emma Sing, 14 Mia Venner, 13 Jade Shekells, 12 Molly Bunker, 11 Pip Hendy, 10 Lizzie Goulden, 9 Sian Jones, 1 Niamh O’Dowd, 2 Lucy Simpson, 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 4 Alaw Pyrs, 5 Steph Else, 6 Kate Williams (C), 7 Sophie McQueen, 8 Tabitha Copson
Replacements: 16 Neve Jones, 17 Ranni Samuda, 18 Eloise Harris, 19 Bethan Lewis, 20 Ellie Wilson, 21 Bianca Blackburn, 22 Ellie Green, 23 Rachel Lund
