PWR round 8 review: Sarries top at Christmas while Quins star in Big Game

Saracens will go into the Christmas period top of pile after beating Sale Sharks, while Gloucester Hartpury remain hot on their heels after they recorded a resounding victory over Leicester Tigers in Round 8.

The action began with Harlequins kicking off proceedings with a big victory over Bristol Bears in the Big Game at Allianz Stadium.

Elsewhere, Loughborough Lightning and Trailfinders Women played out a thrilling draw thanks to a last-gasp try from the home side.

Harlequins 38-12 Bristol Bears

Harlequins produced a big performance during their Big Game with Bristol Bears, running out 38-12 winners at HQ.

Quins opened the scoring after Pam Buisa was yellow carded for stripping the ball when on the ground and from the ensuing penalty, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u made no mistake from the tap-and-go opportunity to power over.

Ella Cromack’s conversion made it 7-0, but the match was reduced to 14-a-side five minutes later after the fly-half was given her own marching orders.

Sarah Bern became the third player to be given a 10-minute cooling-off period following a high tackle on 16 minutes and the hosts took full advantage when Lauren Torley crossed.

The try of the match came courtesy of England superstar Ellie Kildunne after the fullback chased and collected her own 30-yard kick to breach the whitewash, days on from coming second at BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Millie David’s score briefly cut the deficit to 14 points, before Kildunne turned provider to play in Claudia Pena, who dashed down the wing to score in the corner to gives Quins a 26-5 halftime lead.

Bristol were much improved during the second 40 minutes and were rewarded for their perseverance when Amy Dale crossed over six minutes short of the hour mark.

But Quins held firm against Bristol’s pursuit of further points before adding two more tries of their own - both courtesy of Freya Aucken  - to seal the win.

Sale Sharks 17-36 Saracens

Saracens extended their winning run in the PWR to seven games after dispatching Sale Sharks with a 36-17 victory at Morson Stadium to top the table.

The away side got off to a fast start when Alysha Corrigan scored in the corner after just eight minutes.

Minutes after a try-saving tackle from Olivia Apps, the scrum-half then set up Bryony Field for her first try with a brilliant solo run.

Field bagged her second score four minutes later, but Shona Campbell got Sale on the board with the score reading 21-5 at the break.

The opening eight minutes of the second half saw Sarries extend their advantage to 28 points as they tightened their grip on proceedings.

Sophie Bridger found the corner to secure the bonus point before Apps got a well-deserved try under the posts after good work from Jess Breach.

Gwenllian Pyrs’ effort and Campbell’s second score reduced the deficit, but the visitors remained in total control to close out the win.

Loughborough Lightning 29-29 Trailfinders Women

Loughborough Lightning and Trailfinders Women delivered a Christmas cracker at cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens with nothing being able to separate the two sides after 80 pulsating minutes of action.

Both teams went into the encounter on the fringes of the top-four places, and it was Trailfinders who landed the first telling blow as Abi Burton powered over the whitewash after 10 minutes.

That five-point lead lasted just three minutes, however, as Sadia Kabeya crashed over from close range to level things up at 5-5.

Georgia Ponsonby’s converted effort handed back the initiative to the visitors but once again Kabeya was on hand to respond as she bagged her second try of the match.

Helen Nelson added the extras as both teams went in at half-time locked at 12-12.

Lightning took the lead for the first time when Kathryn Treder drove over on 50 minutes before Lucia Scott’s effort gave the hosts a 10-point cushion and a bonus point.

Kate Zackary hauled her side back into the game with a 66th-minute try of her own, with Rosie Inman’s conversion reducing their arrears to just three points.

Eight minutes from time, Inman was again ice cool from the tee as her penalty brought parity to proceedings and set up a grandstand finish.

And sure enough, one was delivered.

In the dying embers of the clash, fullback Inman thought she’d broken the hearts of those in African Violet when she converted her own try.

But in the last play of the match, Fancy Bermudez burst through Trailfinders’ defence to get her team within two points before Nelson held her nerve to ensure the points were shared.

Leicester Tigers 12-75 Gloucester Hartpury

Gloucester Hartpury ran riot at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, putting 11 tries on Leicester Tigers, on their way to a club record 18th consecutive league win.

The three-time defending champions came straight out of the blocks in the East Midlands as Emma Sing single-handedly put her side 7-0 up after converting her own try.

Leicester hit back soon after when they were awarded a penalty try, with Pip Hendy also being yellow carded.

But despite be a player down, Gloucester continued to look impressive and retook the lead through Kate Williams who benefited from a powerful driving maul.

The visitors then extended their lead to 14 points when Lizzie Goulden played Mia Venner in to cross over with Sing slotting home her third conversion.

It remained one-way traffic from there as Williams’ second score bagged Gloucester a bonus point before Alaw Pyrs marked her Circus debut in style with her side’s fifth try.

Venner kicked off the scoring in the second half as she upgraded her haul from a single score to brace with Tabitha Copson's converted effort – scored excellently after exploiting a gap – making the score 49-7.

Hannah Dallavalle and Jade Shekells added further gloss to the scoreline before Sing notched up Gloucester’s 10th try while also taking her conversion tally into double figures.

Jordan Russell’s effort proved little more than a consolation as Dallavalle rounded off the scoring on what was a dominant afternoon for the champions.