Match report: Exeter Chiefs Women 26-19 Harlequins Women
Exeter Chiefs Women took a bonus-point win at home in round four of the PWR in front of a bumper crowd at Sandy Park.
Four tries to three was enough to take the win as 2,314 supporters turned out to watch their home heroines continue their journey into the 2025/26 season.
Quins started the game brightly with flanker Nicole Wythe trucking the ball up through the middle before a box-kick from scrum-half Lucy Packer found the hands of winger Claudia Moloney-MacDonald. Her kick was chased back by full-back Ellie Kildunne who duly returned the kick, but as Chiefs tried to run back into Quins’ half, they were penalised for holding onto the ball in a ruck.
There was a brief break in play as captain Jade Konkel received treatment just as Quins kicked to touch for their first lineout. It was safely gathered with Wythe back in action to punch holes in Chiefs’ defence. The ball crossed the pitch to winger Beth Wilcock, but Quins were also penalised for holding onto the ball too long.
Chiefs kicked to touch again, and with the lineout secured, the ball was whipped across the east side of the pitch toward the fans, but again, the penalty was given away for holding on. Back to a Quins lineout with Wythe waiting to make the hard yards. As the players and ball headed to the west touchline Chiefs combined to push Wilcock into touch.
A knock-on gave Chiefs their first scrum of the game, just outside their own 22. It was rock steady and allowed the backs to press into Quins territory. However, the visitors were penalised for hands in the ruck, so centre Alexandra Tessier kicked the ball to touch for another lineout. The backs spun the ball wide with winger Katie Buchanan getting into Quins’ 22, but a turnover gave the Quins the ball.
Chiefs were not that keen to leave this area of the pitch though and another penalty gave Tessier a chance to find a lineout berth even closer to the try-line. Safely taken by captain Emily Robinson for the drive, quick hands from flanker Maisy Allen from the back of the maul and as pass from No 8 Maddie Feaunati saw Tessier scamper in for Chiefs’ first try. Fly-half Liv McGoverne stepped up to take the extras to make it 7-0.
A stolen lineout saw the devastating front row Canadian duo of Emily Tuttosi and DaLeaka Menin take off into space, but Chiefs were penalised again. However, a home side scrum saw the ball quickly recycled to yesterday’s birthday girl Nancy McGillivray, then to Tessier and Allen for Menin to almost make it over the line, but Quins were penalised for not rolling away. The penalty was kicked to touch for the lineout, which was not the tidiest, but gave Allen enough room to bundle over to make it 14-0 after McGoverne added the conversion.
Kildunne thought she had scored in the 34th minute when she collected a Claudia Pena chip-kick and steaked towards the line, but Quins were called back for offside. The visitors kept up the pressure, but Chiefs soaked it all up, happy to stay in the pink portion of the pitch.
A huge kick from Allen propelled the action into Quins’ 22 with Kildunne heading back to field the ball, eventually brought down by McGillivray.
It looked like Chiefs third try would come care of a quickly taken penalty from Allen who ducked her head down to drive forward and for scrum-half Flo Robinson to go over while flanker Sara Svoboda was sent to the sin-bin for obstruction. On a second look from the TMO, the try was disallowed but the yellow card stood. Chiefs kicked the penalty for the lineout and sent over Tuttosi instead from the driving maul.
Half-time: 19-0
Quins’ replacement fly-half Ella Cromack was brought on at half-time to get back into Chiefs’ half with long-range kicks. And that change looked like it was lucrative when Cromack had gone over for a try, but the TMO called her back for a knock-on.
Quins were not keen to give away the territorial advantage though with a lineout setting up wave after wave of forward momentum, but Chiefs held them up over the line. Chiefs ensuing kick did not make touch though, and Quins came back at the home side, but a try attempt was held up again. On their third attempt, No 8 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u went over following a penalty awarded to the visitors.
Quins’ second try came from a more trademark gliding run from Kildunne. Mikaele-Tu’u, Hannah Sims, Packer and Cromack combined to put the full-back into space…and she did the rest.
A Chiefs’ penalty was kicked to touch by Tessier for Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald’s first lineout throw of the game. Flanker Gabriella Nigrelli headed deeper into Quins territory with prop Hope Rogers joining in, but the ball was knocked on shortly after. A chip-kick from Claudia Moloney-MacDonald gave Chiefs territory if not possession until they were penalised for hands in the ruck.
With a temporary stalemate on the scoreboard, the 59th minute produced a sight to gladden any rugby fan’s heart when Dorothy Wall ran on the field after seven months of rehabilitating a ruptured Achilles. Meanwhile, Quins players continued to suffer injuries of their own that halted play.
A Chiefs penalty gave both teams a chance to re-group with the decision made to go for the scrum. They got the penalty here too…and go for another scrum. Ouch! Chiefs got the ball but the scramble for go-forward play saw the ball roll into touch.
It may have not been tidy at times, but Chiefs kept battering away with Wall looking like she had never been away. Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald found herself in space and waited for Emily Robinson to join her before sister Flo dived over for Chiefs’ fourth try.
Quins were not done though and minutes later, Chiefs were the ones giving away the penalty as referee Holly Wood called them offside. The kick to touch was 10 metres out, giving Quins a good position for the drive with the try scored by Svoboda with three minutes left to play.
Those nervy last few minutes saw Pena streak into space as the women in pink tried to close the deficit, but Chiefs finally got the penalty, from Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald's work at the breakdown, they needed to regain possession and the win. Job done.
Full-time: 26-19
Exeter Chiefs Women: M Elworthy; K Buchanan (F Granzotto 60), N McGillivray, A Tessier (G Cantorna 59), Claudia Moloney-MacDonald; L McGoverne, F Robinson (vc) L Nye 72); H Rogers (D Swann 68), E Tuttosi (Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald 53), D Menin (A Rule 53), L van der Velden, E Robinson (c), G Nigrelli (D Wall 59), M Allen (vc), M Feaunati (Z Dare 49)
Tries: Tessier, Allen, Tuttosi, F Robinson
Con: McGoverne (3)
Harlequins Women: E Kildunne; C Grant, C Pena, S Perry, B Wilcock (L Tuima 68); K Powell (E Cromack HT), L Packer; H Sims (S Turani 62), C Phillips, L Hanlon, L Sae (T Shirley 17 (M Meuller 63), J Konkel (c) (M Komaitai 36), N Wythe, S Svoboda, L Mikaele-Tu’u
Tries: L Mikaele-Tu’u, Kildunne, Svoboda
Cons: Pena, Cromack
Yellow card: Svoboda
Referee: Holly Wood
Attendance: 2,314