Exeter Chiefs Women v Saracens Women

Saracens Women scored eight tries to three to secure their home semi-final in the JAECOO Next Gen Cup at the Stonex Stadium. Despite a spirited first half performance from Chiefs, Sarries were ruthless in the last 20 minutes to take the game away from the visitors.

With Lucy Nye leading out the team for her last game for the club, Chiefs Women had the wind behind them for the opening 40 minutes but the first points on the board went to Saracens in the seventh minute as Nye’s opposite number Tori Sellors found a gap in Chiefs’ defence, despite decent possession for the visitors.

Chiefs wasted no time in finding an answer for that first score with fly-half Liv McGoverne kicking a penalty to touch for the lineout where hooker Kayleigh Priest's throw was safely received by flanker Zoë Dare who offloaded to No 8 Gabriella Nigrelli for lock Kate Smith to break the defence and pass to fellow second row Lola Whitley to go over the line.

Saracens answered straight back with try for hooker Morgan Freeman after a penalty was kicked to touch to set up the lineout and drive. Fly-half Amelia MacDougall stepped up to take the conversion to make the score 12-7.

In the first half, Chiefs were dominant at scrum-time with Saracens giving away penalties for McGoverne to kick to touch to gain territory and possession. But despite this a shaky scrum gave Sarries the platform to unleash their third try for Jodie Verghese.

Another penalty kicked to touch for the lineout gave Chiefs their second try as captain Emily Robinson stormed over the line from the set-piece on the five-metre line. McGoverne added two more points having created the try opportunity with her booming kick to make the score 19-14 at half-time.

Saracens had the benefit of the wind behind them in the second half and it looked like they would make the most of it from the get-go with a lineout on Chiefs’ 22 but MacDougall spilled the ball over the line.

A yellow card for replacement Poppy Cleall gave Chiefs the player-advantage in their own half. Deborah Wills scored against her former club as Chiefs capitalised on the penalty with a lineout seeing the forwards congregate on the try-line before sending the ball out to the wing.

It looked like Chiefs were back in the game as Saracens spluttered at the lineout and 19-year-old prop Amelia Lambourn stole the ball to release a galloping Smith into space to get into the home side’s 22 but a score was not forthcoming.

Instead, Saracens patiently recycled the ball to close in on Chiefs' 22, sending Charlotte Wright-Haley over for another try for the home side.

As the game entered the final 20 minutes, Saracens piled on three more tries with a brace from Akina Gondwe, playing in her first game since returning from a serious knee injury, and another from Jemima Moss.

Chiefs had emptied their bench by the end of the game to give every U23s pathway player and other younger ones a chance to develop their game against this Saracens side. While Chiefs may not have clinched a semi-final place, they have used this campaign to expose younger players to top-flight rugby and opportunities to play against more experienced athletes as they head into the JAECOO PWR next month.