Chiefs Women make two mid-season signings

Exeter Chiefs Women have made two new signings as they get ready for the second block of games of the 2025/26 PWR season.

Winger Ellen Scantlebury has joined the club to help cover the injury absences of several back-three players, the expected departure of Maddie Flutey at Christmas, and HSBC SVNS duty for Canadian international Sabrina Poulin.

Meanwhile, former Warriors Women’s hooker Eleanor Febrey has also joined the ranks. Both players come from Cheddar in Somerset.

Exeter Chiefs Women’s head coach Steve Salvin said: “Merryn Elworthy has had a minor op that will keep her out for a few weeks, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald has had a slight delay in her return to play, and Sammy Harris has broken her hand. With Maddie Flutey now back in NZ and Sabrina Poulin away with Canadian sevens for a couple of weeks, the chance to bring in someone of Ellen's quality, pace and with such a fantastic try-scoring record made a huge amount of sense.

"El Febrey joined us on trial after Christmas and has done really well in training and with her PWR experience at Worcester and playing rugby in NZ, we expect her to be a fantastic addition.”

Scantlebury made 22 appearances in her four years with Lightning, scoring seven tries.

The 22-year-old former England Students and U21s player, who can also play at centre, scored 21 tries in six matches for Loughborough University in the 2024/25 season, including seven in a single match against Edinburgh University. Unsurprisingly, she was top try-scorer in the BUCS Super Rugby league for that season, and she also captained the university side.

Scantlebury said: “I’m super excited to join Chiefs. My family have been long-term supporters of the club, so to now be part of it myself feels really special and something me and my family are hugely proud of.”

Febrey, who is more widely known as El, has a reputation as a try-scoring forward. In fact, she was Warriors’ last-gasp try-scorer in a narrow 21-23 defeat of Chiefs Women in the Allianz Cup in 2023.The 25-year-old played for Gloucester-Hartpury before Worcester and Bath afterwards. She also trained with and ran out for Manawatu Cyclones in the Farah Plamer Cup in New Zealand in August and September last year.

Febrey said: “I’m excited to be joining Exeter Chiefs for the remainder if the Premiership season. It’s a fantastic opportunity and one I’m really looking forward to.”