Premiership Women’s Rugby returns this weekend as we reach the final stages of this season’s Allianz Cup. The semi-finals are between the top four sides in Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby so expect fireworks across the course of the weekend.
- PWR has confirmed that the final of the Allianz Cup will be broadcast live on YouTube
- The final will take place on Sunday 28 April, at 2pm and will be hosted by the side with the better points difference from the two semi-finals this weekend.
- The competition structure puts all nine of our teams in a ranked order so while four will all be hoping for silverware, the remaining five teams have plenty to play for.
Gladiator Jodie Ounsley returns to the pitch as Saracens v Exeter Chiefs is being broadcast live on YouTube…Lizzie Duffy returns to the Sale Sharks fold this weekend after six months out with an ankle break…Meg Webb makes her first appearance of the season… Jenny Maxwell plays her first Lightning game in more than two years… England international Amelia Harper plays her first game for Quins since 2022
Full list of fixtures:
Saturday 13 April
Leicester Tigers v Harlequins
Mattioli Woods Welford Road – 12.30pm
This seventh-placed pool match sees Natasha Jones captain the Tigers side for the return to Mattioli Woods Welford Road, which sees former Warriors Women and England Under-20s lock Jemima Moss get set to make her Tigers debut.
The starting side sees several changes from the last matchday, a tough loss away at Saracens, with just three players retained in the pack.
These changes include Jade Jones and Alana Bainbridge joining Ofure Ugiagbe in the front-row, Becky Noon reunited in the back-row with Morgan Richardson and McBrien and a new-look second row of Charlotte Fray and new signing Moss.
Similarly, in the backs, just two players are retained. Amy Relf returns to partner Jones in the half-backs, there’s a first-time partnership in the centres which sees Katie Childs and Sarah Nicholas start in midfield, while Amanda Swartz is joined in the back three by Zoë Evans and Molly Draycott.
For Harlequins England international Amelia Harper starts at flanker, returning from injury to play her first game for Quins since 2022. Harper is joined by vice-captain Emily Robinson and Nicole Wythe in the back-row.
Flo Robinson and England U20s fly-half Ella Cromack start as half-backs, wit Rachael Burford named as captain at 12. Tuima wears 13, with Mayhew, Layzell and Mullen completing Quins’ back three.
Sale Sharks v Loughborough Lightning
CorpAcq Stadium – 2pm
England Red Roses Lizzie Duffy and Morwenna Talling return to the Sale Sharks starting XV, alongside seven players who will be wearing the Sharks jersey for the first time.
In the Sharks front-row, South African loosehead Amber Schonert lines up alongside Vice Captain (VC) Detysha Harper and hooker Marion Ridgway who earns her first start of the season.
Elizabeth Shermer gets her debut for Sale Sharks in the second row, alongside Bowman with Talling and Brown and Hazell in the back-row.
Jess Taylor-Roberts will partner with Lizzie Duffy who makes her long-awaited return to the Heywood Road turf. Outside them, former lightening player Ellen Ramsbottom lines up with Leah Brough in the centres who will also make her Sharks debut.
England U20s flyer Sophie Hopkins makes her debut with Evie Tonkin on the other wing with debutant Izzy McGuire-Evans lining up at full-back.
This fifth-placed play-off (first leg) sees Jenny Maxwell will play her firstLoughborough Lightning match in more than two years in this Allianz Cup fifth-place play-off away at Sale Sharks.
The Scotland scrum-half last wore an African Violet shirt 25 months ago, before suffering a major knee injury on international duty.
Maxwell, aged 31, made her competitive playing return at the end of 2023 on loan for Edinburgh and returns to Lightning colours this weekend as vice-captain for Saturday’s Cup clash.
Lightning’s first run out in five weeks will see them captained by Daisy Hibbert-Jones while Lilli Ives Campion and Cath O’Donnell – who have been involved in recent Red Roses camps – start together in the second row.
Saracens v Exeter Chiefs
StoneX Stadium, live on YouTube – 2.30pm
Wing Jodie Ounsley is back in the Exeter Chiefs starting XV to take on Saracens Women, seven months after she injured her shoulder in the first game of the 2023-24 Allianz Cup.
In a repeat of last year’s cup final, Ounsley returns to action alongside a whole host of other changes that see hooker Clara Nielson starting Saturday’s game having returned from an ankle injury she picked up against Harlequins in December.
Also in the forwards, prop Demi Swann joins Neilson and Hope Rogers in the front row. Taz Bricknell gets her first Chiefs start in the back row with Harriet Millar-Mills moving to No 8.
In the backs, Brooke Bradley switches to full-back, University of Exeter student Sophie Langford will begin the game at inside centre, and Olivia Ortiz is starting at scrum-half.
Even with several players away on Six Nations duty, Saracens Director of Rugby Alex Austerberry has been able to select a side packed with talent for the semi-final.
In the front row, Akina Gondwe packs down alongside Bryony Field and Carmen Tremelling.
The second-row sees Sonia Green (above, left) start alongside Emma Taylor, with the former having announced her retirement from the game earlier this week.
There’s plenty of power in the back-row too, with co-captain May Campbell starting alongside Sharifa Kasolo and Bryony Cleall.
In the backs, Tori Sellors and Amelia MacDougall form an exciting young half-back pair, whilst Sarah McKenna will look to guide the side from inside centre, with Cara Wardle joining her at outside centre.
The back three sees co-captain Lotte Clapp line up alongside Isla Alejandro and Jemma-Jo Linkins.
Sunday 14 April
>Bristol Bears v Gloucester- Hartpury
Shaftesbury Park – 3pm
Meg Webb will make her first Bristol Bears appearance of the season in Sunday’s Allianz Cup semi-final against Gloucester-Hartpury at Shaftesbury Park.
The Welsh international centre partners Phoebe Murray in the midfield, with Lucie Skuse recalled at fly half alongside skipper Lucy Burgess.
Ellie Marston-Mulhearn is another returnee, with Jess Sprague named at hooker and Simi Pam completing the front row.
Delaney Burns partners Hollie Cunningham in the engine room, while in the back row, Gabriella Nigrelli makes her comeback from injury alongside Claire Molloy and Rownita Marston-Mulhearn.
Mia Venner returns to the Gloucester-Hartpury squad. She has been part of the Red Roses training squad for the last two weeks and is back to full fitness. She slots in at fullback. Jordan Russell, normally a back rower, starts on the left wing with the impressive young talent of Lucia Scott on the right.
Pip Hendy will be looking to build on her outstanding run of form in the PWR before the break for the Six Nations. She starts at outside centre, with Charlie-Mai Manns at inside centre.
At half-back, Lizzie Goulden goes at fly-half and co-captains the side, and Bianca Blackburn at nine.
Trailfinders Women play Leicester Tigers next weekend at home (21 April, at 2pm) in the next stage of the seventh-place play-off.
For a full list of fixtures click here.
With thanks to the PWR
