Exeter Chiefs Women v Leicester Tigers Women

Exeter Chiefs Women scored six tries at home and kept Leicester Tigers scoreless as they began the second block of the PWR with a five-point win.

The conditions did not lend themselves to free-flowing rugby but Chiefs scrum dominance and experience meant they were more than up to the task of claiming their fourth victory of the season.

It was a tetchy first few minutes as a swap of lineouts saw Chiefs get their first scrum after a knock-on from Tigers centre Emily Henrich. This resulted in a penalty to Chiefs which No 8 Maddie Feaunati quickly took but Tigers regained possession after a pass came off captain Emily Robinson’s head.

Tigers’ scrum on their own 10-metre line saw the backs get involved as they tried to escape out of their own half. A high kick got them into Chiefs 22 but fly-half Liv McGoverne kicked it safely away to touch for a Tigers’ lineout. The pass along the line resulted in a knock-on for the visitors and Chiefs were awarded a scrum close to the halfway line. Feaunati again took off from the back with centre Naomi Brennan making extra metres in her wake. McGoverne then opted to kick to touch for a Tigers’ lineout five metres from their own try-line. Full-back Tess Feury kicked the ball to safety for a Chiefs lineout on the 22 but a slippery ball and a knock-on thwarted any further progress, handing the scrum to Tigers.

But Chiefs were beginning to show their dominance at the scrum-time and won a penalty advantage. McGoverne kicked this one to the five-metre for a Chiefs lineout as the rain began to fall in earnest. A successful throw and drive released centre Nancy McGillivray before Tigers were penalised again on the try-line.

Another lineout on the five-metre was collected cleanly before prop DaLeaka Menin was denied at close quarters. The ball headed out to the backs for full-back Eilidh Sinclair to cut through the defence for a fairytale score on her 50th game for the club!

The heavy conditions were not making it easy for the players at Sandy Park, but a moment of brilliance saw a wicked inside pass from galloping lock Dorothy Wall to McGoverne, which allowed the fly-half to kick the ball to the wing for Katie Buchanan to dot it down for the try.

McGoverne’s cheeky charge-down of a Tigers’ kick then opened the door for Chiefs in their own half. The New Zealander kicked the ball ahead for McGillivray to do the rest and score the try.

McGoverne was then taken off the pitch for an HIA, leaving Chiefs a woman down for a good minute until Flo Robinson stepped onto the field. A Chiefs’ lineout released Feaunati and then Maisy Allen but the ball was lost in contact as Chiefs neared the line, thus ending the first half.

The second half started brightly in the gloom of the winter weather as Chiefs’ scrum saw Feaunati yet again peel off the back and charge down the wing for the score and the try bonus point. No-one was stopping her!

But while Feaunati was happy to charge about when required, Chiefs were also happy to be patient when required. As their defence held in their own half, they kept recycling the ball with Feaunati, Allen, Wall and injury returnee Kate Smith all involved making sure they opened up space for McGoverne to slip through the gap for try number five.

A Chiefs scrum gave them their next opportunity as scrum-half Flo Robinson and wing Eleanor Hing combined to release flanker Zoë Dare down the wing. The ball was passed back inside but the try attempt was held up on the tryline

Chiefs continued to press as they brought younger and new players onto the field. There were Chiefs debuts for Ellen Scantlebury and Eleanor Febrey while Hing, Lilly Plowman and Alessia Skeates made their long-awaited PWR debuts.

The home side claimed their last try of the afternoon in front of a near 2,000-strong crowd when Wall muscled her way over the line after a Flo Robinson snipe set up an extended period of Chiefs pressure.