Saturday see’s Bristol Ladies take the trip up to Newcastle for their second double header of the season. Bristol Ladies will run out at Kingston Park at 11:45am on Saturday 8th September, against Darlington Mowden Park Sharks – several hours before Bristol Rugby face Newcastle Falcons in a hotly anticipated Premiership clash.
Bristol Ladies are unbeaten this season and will look to continue this form at the weekend. The squad consists of nine individuals who were involved in the England EPS camp last weekend, and three who took part in Welsh regional fixtures.
The team will be without top try scorer Marlie Packer, who is out with concussion following the weekend training session, however the back row will remain full of international class, with starts for Izzy Noel Smith and Sarah Hunter, and a first start of the season for Poppy Leitch.
Olympian Nolli Waterman plays her first game in a Bristol shirt this season, starting at fullback with Megan Jones in at 10. Strong second team performances from Kayleigh Armstrong and Sue Neumann see both of them on the bench for this fixture too. Darlington Mowden Park Sharks have had a mixed start to the season, beating struggling Wasps Ladies, but falling to a 57 – 0 defeat at the hands of Saracens.
Bristol Ladies 2nd XV face Guildford at Cleve RFC on Sunday, looking to build momentum on their win against Drybrook Ladies last weekend. The game sees two debuts – Clea Fawcett and Maeve Liston both take to the field for the first time, with strength in numbers on the bench.
Returning player Emily Underwood also looks for her first game time for Bristol this season against a Guildford side who have lost three out of their four fixtures so far this season.
The teams are:
1st XV vs DMP
- Abbie Parsons
- Carys Phillips
- Sarah Bern
- Amelia Buckland Hurry
- Poppy Cleall
- Izzy Noel Smith
- Poppy Leitch
- Sarah Hunter
- Sian Moore
- Meg Jones
- Chantelle Miell
- Amber Reed (c)
- Lottie Holland
- Tilly Vaughan Fowler
- Nolli Waterman
- Clara Nielson
- Sasha Acheson
- Kayleigh Armstrong
- Sue Neumann
- Elinor Snowsill
- Cat McNaney
- Becki Belcher
Bristol Ladies 2nd XV vs Guildford
- Jessie Hood
- Daisy Travers
- Jeanine Stephenson
- Clea Fawcett
- Steph Jones
- Trish Brown (c)
- Sadie Giles
- Georgia Bradley
- Hannah Gascoigne
- Sarah Graham
- Georgia Liddington
- Rownita Marston
- Carrie Roberts
- Maeve Liston
- Gracie Hood
- Emily Underwood
- Kathryn Buggy
- Alanna Alevropoulous
- Emma Lacey
- Vicky Foxwell
- Courtney Bishop
- Lucy Herring
Report courtesy of Bristol Ladies Media Manager