This weekend Wasps Women welcome Exeter Chiefs to Twyford Avenue in their second clash of the season.
In their previous meeting this season, it was a game of two halves with Exeter coming back in the second half to win on their home turf. However, fuelled by a fearless second half in their recent fixture against Loughborough Lightning, Wasps are raring and ready to turn the tables this weekend.
Wasps Women’s Director of Rugby, Giselle Mather has named her team for the weekend which includes the return of Welsh Internationals Flo Williams and Gemma Rowland and a debut appearance for Irish International Shannon Touhey.
Cliodhna returns to the match day squad to join Heather Kerr and Maud Muir in the front row. Sam Monaghan and Ciara Cooney remain in the second row and in the back row, Christiana Balogun returns to the starting line up after last week’s fiery second half performance to join Rowena Burnfield and Helene Caux.
Back in her natural habitat, Sammy Wong will start at scrum half with Williams returning to start at 10. Rowland returns to play at 12 alongside Claire Molloy who will captain the squad from 13. Rosie Wright and Jess Cooksey move out to the wings to join Abby Dow in the back three.
Bryony Cleall heads up the bench alongside fellow forward replacements Mica Evans and Kanyinsola Adefemiwa Afilaka. After a feisty stint off the bench last week, Melanie Combebias is set to add some French fire to the forwards alongside Kay Searcy. Touhey will make her debut off the bench as a back replacement alongside Lucy Nye and Emily Stone.
“The opportunity to play against the Chiefs’ star studded International team is always a challenge the squad look forward to. We have had some very close encounters with them that have been decided in the closing moments and I am sure Saturday will be no different”
Giselle Mather, Director of Rugby
The match will be streamed live on Premier 15s and the BBC for a 12:30pm KO. Tickets are also available on our website.
Team Line Up
15. Abby Dow
14. Jess Cooksey (Sponsored by RSK and GinJar)
13. Claire Molloy (C)
12. Gemma Rowland
11. Rosie Wright
10. Flo Williams
9. Sammy Wong
1. Heather Kerr (Sponsored by Vibe Teaching)
2. Cliodhna Moloney
3. Maud Muir (Sponsored by Rugby Tots Thames and Bicester and Gosford All Blacks)
4. Ciara Cooney
5. Sam Monaghan (Sponsored by Vibe Teaching)
6. Helene Caux
7. Christiana Balogun
8. Rowena Burnfield
16. Kanyinsola Adefemiwa Afilaka
17. Bryony Cleall
18. Mica Evans
19. Melanie Combebias
20. Kay Searcy
21. Lucy Nye
22. Shannon Touhey
23. Emily Stone
Livestream: https://www.premier15s.com/news/article/live–12th-round-of-allianz-premier-15s
With thanks to Wasps
