Chiefs Women to face Worcester Warriors
By Harry Scott-Munro
6/11/20
Exeter Chiefs Women’s Head Coach Susie Appleby sees her side as being ‘incredibly privileged’ to continue their league season against the backdrop of a second national lockdown, urging them to make the most of every opportunity as they move into Round 4 of the Allianz Premier 15s.
After a week-long break to allow for the completion of the Six Nations, the Chiefs return to top-flight action against Jo Yapp’s much-improved Worcester Warriors side at Sandy Park tomorrow (2:30pm).
Appleby has been pleased with the opportunities presented by the break, allowing herself, assistant Amy Garnett, and the rest of the coaching team to look in detail at where the side are after three competitive fixtures.
“We’ve now had a clear two-week window where we can look back at what’s happened,” explained Appleby. “It’s allowed us to have lots of conversations you don’t normally get to have in a game week. We can have one-to-ones with players and see how they’re feeling as that’s super important and also reflect a bit. But obviously plan to go forward, that’s what we want to do, we want to improve.”
Reflecting on her side’s start to the season, Appleby has been pleased that her side are ‘settling in well.’
“For a number of the girls, it’s very new to them the level that we’re playing at,” added Appleby. “Not necessarily to the internationals, but English rugby is a bit different to playing in the States or Spain. Obviously learning to play alongside each other is the biggest challenge so, the message these last two weeks has been no excuses now.”
Appleby has firmly laid down the gauntlet to her side now, stressing that she is desperate to see further improvement from her side.
“We’re not a new team, so we don’t want to be labelled as that new team that’s doing quite well, we want to now be performing and be happy with our performance,” continued Appleby.
The last round’s fixture against league leaders Harlequins was played out in horrific conditions at Surrey Sports Park, a place a laughing Appleby described as the ‘most exposed place in the world!’
Despite the conditions, Appleby was still disappointed with how her side performed. “We should’ve done better, that’s the frustrating thing. We’re letting ourselves down with simple errors at the moment and you can’t afford to because it’s a free-kick, so that gives them so much advantage.”
Reflecting on her side’s upcoming fixtures, Appleby admits that after a tough opening three rounds, performances and results in the next few weeks against both Worcester and DMP Sharks will be a barometer for where her side find themselves.
“Five weeks into the season effectively and we take on Worcester who are again a good side and then Darlington so we’ll really be able to measure where we are I think on Saturday.”
Team news for the home side sees Appleby confirm first starts at the weekend for Spanish pair Patricia Garcia and Laura Delgado, after both impressed off the bench against Harlequins.
“We’ve had more time,” Appleby explained, “Patricia and Bimba (Delgado,) are getting their first starts on Saturday which is really exciting and they’ve been training with us all summer. As well as first starts for Garcia and Delgado, Appleby also confirmed a first start for Canadian international prop Olivia De Merchant.
“[She’s] going to start for her first time this weekend and that’s because she deserves it,” explained Appleby, before emphasising the performances thus far of her whole squad. “The others deserved everything that they had so far because as I said it’s a funny old thing, we’re just finding our way and we’ve never been in this position before.”
Focusing on the challenge ahead this Saturday, Appleby knows her team will be up against ‘a really good side.’ She also played tribute to the improvements Warriors have seen under former Exeter University Women and England U20’sHead Coach Yapp.
“They’ve struggled for the first couple of seasons, they lost a load of players, but since Jo Yapp has come in, you’ve seen a massive change. They have a big Welsh influence so some of our players will know them well.”
Warriors have performed well thus far, pushing reigning champions Saracens all the way in their opening fixture, before brushing aside DMP Sharks. Last round’s defeat to Wasps will leave them wanting to make a mark this weekend and Appleby is expecting an exciting game.
“They like to move the ball, same as us, so I’m expecting a really decent game on Saturday and I know Yappy is as well because we know each other well. Then it’s about who takes the opportunities really and who can perform better on the day,” said Appleby.
EXETER CHIEFS WOMEN'S SIDE TO FACE WORCESTER WARRIORS
15. Merryn Doidge
14 Lottie Holland
13. Lauren Cattell
12. Gabby Cantorna
11. Garnet Mackinder
10. Taylor Black
9. Patricia Garcia Rodriquez
1. Olivia De Merchant
2. Emily Tuttosi
3. Laura Delgado
4. Poppy Leitch
5. McKinley Hunt
6. Ebony Jefferies
7. Kate Zackary
8. Linde Van der Velden (capt)
16. Charlie Budge
17. Michaella Roberts
18. Jess Thomas
19. Abbie Fleming
20. Daisy French
21. Ffion Lewis
22. Flo Robinson
23. Louise Burgess