We look back at last Saturday’s events in the Allianz Premier 15s, with all 10 teams in action for the first time this year.
Wasps 40-3 Worcester Warriors
Wasps kicked off the day’s action at Twyford Avenue against Worcester Warriors, securing a bonus-point victory in their first match of the year. Fly half Sarah Nicholas struck an early penalty to put the visitors into the lead, and Warriors kept the hosts at bay until the 25th minute, when Maud Muir took a pass from scrum half Sammy Graham and flew over for Wasps’ first try. The home side’s powerful pack extended the lead minutes later, when Liz Crake crashed over to give Wasps an 11-point gap at the break. Giselle Mather’s side came out firing in the second half, with Maud Muir going over for her second try of the match in the 36th minute and Meg Jones slotting her third conversion of the match. Celia Quansah then brought up the bonus point for Wasps with a score in the corner, and Jones kept up her 100% record from the tee with an impressive touchline conversion. Returning Red Roses flyer Abby Dow scored a spectacular solo effort with an hour on the clock, before Sarah Mitchelson danced through the Warriors defence to wrap it up for the hosts and take the final score to 40-3.
DMP Durham Sharks 3-73 Saracens
The Sharks hosted their inaugural match at their temporary new home, the University of Durham, but it was the visitors who took maximum points from this encounter as the Londoners bounced back from their defeat against Exeter Chiefs in style. Red Roses forward Vicky Fleetwood went over for Saracens’ first on 15 minutes after good work from Georgia Evans, but the Sharks responded almost immediately through a Beth Blacklock penalty. Saracens’ relentless pressure up front started to pay off though, and England powerhouse Poppy Cleall crashed over twice in seven minutes, both from rolling mauls. Sarries’ leading try scorer, May Campbell, crossed after a series of pick and goes, and Holly Aitchison’s fourth conversion took the score to 28-3 at the break. Cleall broke through the Sharks’ defence for her hat-trick with 37 minutes on the clock, and that was followed by a Chantelle Miell score. Georgia Evans then darted through the Sharks’ defence for Sarries’ seventh try, and captain Lotte Clapp brought up the half century with an hour on the clock. Saracens relentless pressure saw them score three tries in the final three minutes through Kelsey Clifford, Alysha Corrigan and Deborah Fleming.
Exeter Chiefs 7-6 Harlequins
Chiefs welcomed Harlequins to Sandy Park looking to build on their stunning victory over Saracens, and did just that, securing a monumental win against the league leaders. Susie Appleby’s side got off to a dream start when McKinley Hunt scored with just three minutes on the clock, and Gabby Cantorna added the extras. Harlequins responded with two penalties from the boot of Ellie Green to bring a cagey first half to a close and narrow the hosts’ lead to just one point. A scoreless second half saw Exeter Chiefs hold out to record a hugely impressive win against Quins as the race for a top-four finish in the Allianz Premier 15s hots up.
Loughborough Lightning 42-14 Bristol Bears
Lightning and Bears played out a high octane encounter at the Loughborough University Stadium, with the home side well worth their bonus-point win. But it was the Bears who struck first, with Jasmine Joyce taking just three minutes to get on the scoresheet, latching onto a Phoebe Murray pass and racing down the touchline for the visitors’ first try. The hosts drew level on 21 minutes when Cath O’Donnell marked her return with a try after a dominant period of pressure from the pack. Lightning then took the lead through an Emily Scarratt penalty and a Daleaka Menin try. Lightning’s leading try scorer, Lark Davies, scored her 12th of the campaign shortly after the restart, and a second penalty from Emily Scarratt took the score to 25-7. Rhona Lloyd followed that up with a bonus-point score in the corner from a blistering counter-attack, and Meg Davey scored 10 minutes later after intercepting a loose Bristol pass deep in their own 22. The Bears replied minutes later, when Red Roses prop Sarah Bern powered over from short range for Bristol’s second try, but a dominant Loughborough Lightning had the last word when Abbie Brown flew over the chalk to round off an impressive afternoon for the Midlands outfit.
Sale Sharks 7-26 Gloucester-Hartpury
Sale Sharks welcomed Gloucester-Hartpury to the CorpAcq Stadium for the day’s live streamed clash, but it was the visitors who came away from this one with maximum points. Bryonie King muscled over the line for Gloucester-Hartpury’s first score on 17 minutes, and Kelsey Jones followed that up with a try from a rolling maul just before the break. Ellie Underwood charged down a Katy Daley-Mclean clearance early in the second half to score Gloucester-Hartpury’s third, but the Sharks responded through Lisa Neumann, who timed her run to perfection as she intercepted a loose pass and sauntered over the line for the hosts’ first points of the afternoon. With seconds remaining on the clock and Gloucester-Hartpury chasing a bonus point, Bianca Blackburn wriggled out of a tackle and forced her way over the line to ensure the Cherry and Whites took maximum points from their trip to Sale.
The latest season statistics can be found here and highlights are here.
Courtesy of the RFU
