PWR Round 9 Preview

Trailfinders Women host Harlequins under the lights as a London Derby kicks off the return of Premiership Women’s Rugby. 

Round 9 marks the end of six long weeks without the PWR, and also sees Bristol Bears host Sale Sharks with seven points separating them. 

Also on Sunday, Exeter Chiefs play Leicester Tigers and Gloucester-Hartpury take on Loughborough Lightning. 

Friday 30 January 

Trailfinders Women v Harlequins – Trailfinders Sports Club - 7:30pm, live on BBC Sport 

The return of the PWR begins with a bang as Trailfinders Women welcome Harlequins to Trailfinders Sports Club. 

The Friday night lights will shine brightly as sixth plays third with only three points between them. 

Trailfinders are without several of the stars with Meg Jones and Julia Schell among those on the sidelines. 

They still boast plenty of power in the pack with Alana Border, Maiakawanakaulani Roos and Georgia Ponsonby in the forwards. 

Quins are able to call on Alex Callender, with the Welsh international making her first start of the season.

Team News 

Trailfinders Women: 15 Rosie Inman, 14 Grace White, 13 Emma Uren, 12 Carys Cox, 11 Vicky Laflin, 10 Niamh Gallagher, 9 Brooke Bradley; 1 Alivia Leatherman, 2 Georgia Ponsonby, 3 Maya Montiel, 4 Maiakawanakaulani Roos, 5 Alana Borland, 6 Rachel Malcolm, 7 Kate Zackary (C), 8 Abi Burton 

Replacements: 16 Cristina Blanco, 17 Annabel Meta, 18 Cassandra Tuffnail, 19 Emma Taylor, 20. Haidee Head, 21. Isla Norman-Bell, 22. Jess Cooksey, 23. Ellie Boatman 

Harlequins: 15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 LaurenTorley, 13 Claudia Pena, 12 Sarah Parry, 11 Freya Aucken, 10 Ella Cromack, 9 Lucy Packer; 1 Jessie Spurrier, 2 Carys Phillips, 3 Lizzie Hanlon, 4 Fi McIntosh, 5 Abbie Fleming, 6 Aoife Wafer, 7 Alex Callender, 8 Jade Konkel (C) 

Replacements: 16 Maja Meuller, 17 Silvia Turani, 18 Laura Delgado, 19 Maddy Page, 20 Sara Svoboda, 21 Emma Swords, 22. Kayleigh Powell, 23 Beth Wilcock 

Match Officials 

Referee: Charlie Gather 

Assistant Referees: Hamish Grant and Darryl Chapman 

Oval Insights 

Trailfinders Women 

• Trailfinders Women average 4.2 metres per carry this season (1st in league) while accumulating 3,699 carry metres (2nd in league). 

•  Alana Borland leads the league in dominant tackle contacts with 10 while making 93 successful tackles (4th in league). 

• Carys Cox has won a league-leading 4 tackle turnovers this season (1st in league). 

•  Georgia Ponsonby has scored 5 tries this season (5th in league) while winning 45 lineout throws (4th in league). 

Harlequins 

• Harlequins Women have the highest kick metres per kick in the league at 29.7 metres (1st in league). 

• Nicole Wythe ranks 2nd in the league for both dominant contacts (27) and total carries (93). 

• Lucy Packer leads the league with 20 box kicks while contributing 6 try assists (2nd in league). 

• Ellie Kildunne ranks 2nd in the Premiership for both metres made (490) and carry distance (733). 

Sunday 1 February

Bristol Bears v Sale Sharks - Shaftesbury Park, 1pm - Live on PWR YouTube

Bristol Bears host Sale Sharks looking to bounce back after the Christmas break, having lost five games on the spin.

Aiding Bristol’s cause is the return of Scottish Internationals Meryl Smith and Lana Skeldon from injury.

Ruahei Demant and Sarah Bern co-captain the 23, while exciting talents Reneeqa Bonner and Millie David both start on the wing.

Holly Aitchison starts for Sale against her former club, in a backline including in-form Rhona Lloyd and Shona Campbell.

Sale start with a strong second row, as Morwenna Talling and Erica Jarrell-Searcy pack down together with Sharks also looking for their second win of the campaign.

Sharks fans will be excited to see Canadian World Cup star Asia Hogan-Rochester in line for her first appearance off the bench.

Team News:

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 Maisie Davies, 2 Amy Dale, 3 Sarah Bern (cc), 4 Hollie Cunningham, 5 Nicola Beet, 6 Christiana Balogun, 7 Pamphinette Buisa, 8 Gwennan Hopkins.

Replacements: 16 Lana Skeldon, 17 Aisha Jah, 18 Elliann Clarke, 19 Demelza Short, 20 Heidi Pashei-Tarighoun, 21 Tilly Ryall, 22 Chloe Daniels, 23 Jasmine Joyce.

Sale Sharks: 15 Lizzie Duffy, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Evie Wills, 12 Katana Howard, 11 Shona Campbell, 10 Holly Aitchison, 9 Olivia Ortiz; 1 Gwen Pyrs, 2 Milly Hyndman, 3 Nick James, 4 Morwenna Talling, 5 Erica Jarrell-Searcy, 6 Georgie Perris-Redding ©, 7 Katie Childs, 8 Sharifa Kasolo.

Replacements: 16 Amy Cokayne, 17 Leah Bartlett, 18 Sophie Benavent, 19 Brittany Hogan, 20 Eva Donaldson, 21 Amy Relf, 22 Asia Hogan-Rochester, 23 Courtney Keight.

Officials:

Referee: Mike Lamb

Assistant Referee: Simon Adams and Kevin Williams

Oval Insights 

Bristol Bears

- Bristol Bears Women have beaten 220 defenders (1st in league) while winning 57 turnovers (1st in league).

- Evie Gallagher leads the league with 15 turnovers won this season while making 84 carries (3rd in league).

- Reneeqa Bonner tops the league with 13 initial breaks while beating 34 defenders (3rd in league).

- Millie David has scored 6 tries (joint 1st) and beaten 27 defenders (5th in league).

Sale Sharks

- Sale Sharks Women lead the league with 86 lineout throws won from 102 total lineouts (both 1st in league).

- Holly Aitchison has made 75 kicks in play (2nd in league) for 2,049 metres (3rd in league).

- Rhona Lloyd has scored 6 tries this season (joint 1st) and recorded 4 attacking catch successes (1st in league).

- The team has recorded 3 fifty-twenty-two kicks this season (1st in league) while possessing the ball in the opposition half 133 times (1st in league).

Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers – Sandy Park, 1pm - Live on PWR YouTube

Exeter Chiefs will look hit the ground running in the second half of the PWR season when they welcome Leicester Tigers to Sandy Park on Sunday.

Currently in the final play-off place, Chiefs appear to be in a four-way battle for two places at the stage of the season.

For the visit of Tigers, they have named a back three which features long-term pathway coach Eilidh Sinclair at full-back alongside Danielle Preece on the wing, who she coached at Exeter College.

Lock Kate Smith will make her first PWR start after recovering from a dislocated shoulder that required two operations. Maddie Feaunati returns after missing the last few games before Christmas with a shoulder injury.

Winger Eleanor Hing is hoping to make her PWR debut from the bench while new signings hooker Eleanor Febrey and Ellen Scantlebury will be looking for their first run-outs for Exeter Chiefs.

Jenny Maxwell is set to captain Tigers, who have included two debutants. 

Eve Slater makes her starting debut for Tigers, while Phoebe Andrews is another potential debutant, as she lines up as reserve hooker.

Jemima McCalman and Emily Henrich appear together in the centres for the first time this season, with Georgie Lingham unavailable.

Team News:

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Eilidh Sinclair, 14 Katie Buchanan, 13 Naomi Brennan, 12 Nancy McGillivray, 11 Danielle Preece, 10 Liv McGoverne, 9 Lucy Nye; 1 Abby Middlebrooke, 2 Emily Tuttosi, 3 DaLeaka Menin, 4 Kate Smith, 5 Dorothy Wall, 6 Emily Robinson (c), 7 Maisy Allen, 8 Maddie Feaunati.

Replacements: 16 Eleanor Febrey, 17 Alessia Skeates, 18 Lilly Plowman, 19 Gabriella Nigrelli, 20 Zoë Dare, 21 Flo Robinson, 22 Ellen Scantlebury, 23 Eleanor Hing.

Leicester Tigers: 15 Tess Feury, 14 Eve Slater, 13 Emily Henrich, 12 Jemima McCalman, 11 Karolina Kacirkova, 10 Kristin Bitter, 9 Jenny Maxwell (c); 1 Beth Cregan, 2 Micke Gunter, 3 Clodagh Dunne, 4 Deni Ross, 5 Emerson Allen, 6 Hermione Farmer, 7 Morgan Richardson, 8 Tiana Gordon

Replacements: 16 Phoebe Andrews, 17 Lauren Poole, 18 Nadine Vincent, 19 Leah Heath, 20 Jordan Russell, 21 Eneka Labeyrie, 22 Abileigh Priestnall, 23 Zoe Evans

Match Officials:

Referee: Natarsha Ganley

Assistant Referees: Rebecca Piddlesden & Emily Hope

Oval Insights 

Exeter Chiefs

- Exeter Chiefs have won 59 scrums from 70 total scrums this season (both 1st in league).

- Maisy Allen has scored 6 tries (1st in team) while making 80 carries (4th in league).

- Emily Robinson has made 94 successful tackles (3rd in league) and leads the competition with 189 attacking ruck entries.

- The team has recorded 7 interceptions this season (1st in league) while making 368 defensive ruck entries (2nd in league).

Leicester Tigers

- Leicester Tigers have the highest lineout success percentage at 84.4% (1st in league) and have retained 4 restarts (1st in league).

- Georgie Lingham has made 12 offloads (7th in league) while winning 4 tackle turnovers (joint 1st in league).

- Tiana Gordon has won 8 turnovers (2nd in league) and made 49 defensive ruck entries (4th in league).

- Micke Gunter has won 47 lineout throws (2nd in league).

Gloucester Hartpury v Loughborough Lightning – Kingsholm Stadium, 3pm, live on TNT Sports 2 and discovery+

Kelsey Jones returns for Gloucester Hartpury, who will look to move top of the table with an eighth straight win. 

Victory over Loughborough Lightning would see the defending champions secure wins over all other teams in the league at the first time of asking this season. 

Lightning have made two changes to their starting XV from their draw against Trailfinders Women in the last fixture before the extended Christmas break. 

Sadia Kabeya misses out through injury to see Tahlia Brody come in at openside flanker, while Anne Young moves into the front row. 

Three players could make their Loughborough Lightning debut from the bench with USA international Paige Stathopolous named among the replacements having joined this week, she is joined by youngsters Aoibhe Kelly and Kaya Acton. 

Team News 

Gloucester Hartpury: 15 Emma Sing, 14 Mia Venner, 13 Hannah Dallavalle, 12 Jade Shekells, 11 Nel Metcalfe, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Natasha Hunt (CC); 1 El Perry, 2 Kelsey Jones, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Sam Monaghan, 5 Sarah Beckett, 6 Steph Else, 7 Georgia Brock, 8 Zoe Stratford (CC) 

Replacements: 16 Lucy Simpson, 17 Niamh O'Dowd, 18 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 19 Kate Williams, 20 Tabitha Copson, 21 Sian Jones, 22 Lizzie Goulden, 23 Pip Hendy 

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 Anne Young, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Mae Sagapolu, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Haneala Lutui, 6 Rachel Ehrecke, 7 Tahlia Brody, 8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones 

Replacements: 16 Paige Stathopoulos, 17 Isla Curphey 18 Christine Belisle, 19 Becky Boyd, 20. Kaya Acton 21 Kendall Waudby, 22 Aoibhe Kelly, 23 Lia Green 

Match Officials 

Referee: Hamish Grant 

Assistant Referees: Iain Kiy and Mike Woods 

Oval Insights 

Gloucester-Hartpury 

• Gloucester-Hartpury Women lead the league with 114 visits to the opposition 22 this season (1st in league). 
• Emma Sing tops the carrying charts with 657 metres made and 794 carry distance (both 1st in league). 
• Natasha Hunt leads the league with 11 try assists (1st in league) while also ranking 2nd for box kicks with 18. 
• The team boasts the best goal-kicking accuracy in the league at 80.9% with 38 successful goals (both 1st in league).

Loughborough Lightning 

• Loughborough Lightning lead the league in carries (1,039) and carry distance (6,339). 
• Haineala Lutui tops the individual carrying charts with 110 carries and 28 dominant contacts (both 1st in league). 
• Alev Kelter has beaten 43 defenders (1st in league) while making 461 metres with ball in hand (5th in league). 
• Helen Nelson has kicked for 2,355 metres (2nd in league) with a league-leading 13 retained kicks.