This is the first round where every club member will in theory be available.
In other words WXV players will be back in action. Leading Red Roses on view include Abby Dow, Abby Ward, Alex Matthews, Ellie Kildunne, Emily Scarratt, Lucy Packer, Maud Muir, Mo Hunt, Rosie Galligan, Sarah Bern and Tatyana Heard.
Have a thought for their team-mates whose names are missing on the team-sheet.
If Gloucester-Hartpury lose at the StoneX, that will be two defeats in a row; not a token of ongoing decline, just a reminder of the cut-and-thrust nature of the competition. Sarries were the only team to beat them last season.
Chiefs find room for eight NEQPs in their starting XV plus six on the bench. NEQPs jostle with EQPs all over the league. I must return to that topic soon.
Other details: Jess Breach is one absentee through injury; Leanne Infante (the best scrum-half in Britain?) makes her 100th appearance to Sarries – she played for them a decade ago before moving elsewhere.
Fixtures (note start times, clocks go back):
Saturday 26 October
Harlequins v Loughborough Lightning, The Stoop, 15.00 BST
Exeter Chiefs vTrailfinders, Sandy Park, 15.00 BST
Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears, CorpAcq Stadium, 19.00 BST
Sunday 27 October
Saracens Gloucester-Hartpury, StoneX Stadium, 12.45 GMT (viewable on TNT)
Chiefs find room for eight NEQPs in the starting XV plus six on the bench
A look back to last week
This was the PWR Team of the Week, as powered by Oval Insights:
15 Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury) 14 Sydney Gregson (Saracens) 13 Laura Perrin (Sale Sharks) 12 Beatrice Rigoni (Sale Sharks) 11 Lisa Neumann (Harlequins) 10 Liv McGoverne (Exeter Chiefs) 9 Megan Davey (Loughborough Lightning) 1 Mikiela Nelson (Exeter Chiefs) 2 Clara Nielson (Exeter Chiefs) 3 Laura Keates (Loughborough Lightning) 4 Julia Omokhuale (Leicester Tigers) 5 Erica Jarrell (Sale Sharks) 6 Hallie Taufoou (Loughborough Lightning) 7 May Campbell (Saracens) 8 Rownita Marston-Mulhearn (Bristol Bears)
It goes to prove how individuals can produce an outstanding performance for their team, without necessarily making the headlines.
They break down as follows:
5 Red Roses (none in the most recent squad)
8 Non-England qualified players (NEQPs)
Clara Nielson, double qualified (England then Ireland)
May Campbell, picked at the position she played in the round (but not hooker)
4 play for the two sides currently at the head of the table
4 play for the two sides currently at the foot of the table
9 play for sides that won
6 play for sides that lost
