Pathway round-up: Women’s programme 2025/26
Published on: 14/05/2026
As exam season gets going and the Exeter Chiefs women’s pathway draws to close, we reflect on a busy season that has created club and international success for several players.
The U23s programme encompasses the University of Exeter, Exeter College and Truro College. Led by Chiefs Women’s first centurion Poppy Leitch, 40 players were identified at the start of the season with aim of producing excellent athletes with world class potential.
Coach Leitch is assisted by Chiefs Women’s players Emily and Flo Robinson, Alex Tessier, Abby Middlebrooke, and Emily Tuttosi, as well as the full-time staff at the colleges.
Exeter University play in two competitions - the Women’s BUCS Super Rugby league and the Championship South 1 after gaining promotion from South West 2 last year - as well as fielding teams for BUCS Premier South league and the Inner Warrior series.
This season, the University finished an impressive fourth place in their first foray into the Championship with 12 wins gaining them 66 points. They also recorded victories against top three teams Old Albanians and London Irish Ladies at home, plus a win over Bath at The Rec. The 18 games played saw 11 Chiefs Women run out alongside university players. The Chiefs players gained valuable game-time or completed their rehabilitation from injury through these matches.
They came third in the BUCS league, losing the semi-final 24-15 to the eventual title winners Loughborough. On the way to the semi-final, they recorded seven wins beating both Loughborough and Brunel on home turf.
Before the season even began though, the university provided players to Chiefs Women’s PWR Cup campaign, including Charlotte Heath, Sophie Langford, Middlebrooke, Lilly Plowman, Danielle Preece, Hannah Sams, Eva Sterritt, Lucy Ward and Anna Woodman. Four of these players also represented England Students in the summer and Plowman ran out for England U21s last weekend against France and Ireland the week before.
Leitch said: “We have seen many pathway players gaining valuable experience in the PWR space. Whether that be at the beginning of the season during the PWR Cup or during the Six Nations break. Every year, we want more players from the pathway gaining those experiences. I am very proud of the pathway we have established in the South West, and hope to see more players running out at Sandy Park next season in the infamous Chiefs shirt.”
With much of the Exeter College cohort of last year’s RFU ACE Girls League-winning team graduating to the University system, it was going to be a tough season. They still came fourth though with seven out of nine wins, just one point behind Loughborough College.
The college provided six players – Rose Powell-Williams, Izzy Firth, Beth Hall, Honey Kerslake, Lucie Sams and Rowan Turney – to the recent England U18s Six Nations, with Kerslake also called up for U21s duty. It’s also worth noting that 2024/25 Exeter College Academy player Demelza Short won her first cap for the Red Roses in the current Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
“The Exeter College set up is one to be celebrated,” continued Leitch. “Although there are many representing their countries, it is important to note that the programme consists of a further 30 hugely talented and dedicated players. The likes of Pheobe Baggs, Ellie Campbell, Etain Treadwell, Liv Burton, Abbie Edwards, Taylor Murphy, and Hana Jennings have all shown outstanding commitment to the programme and embody the values of the college at every session.
“I have really enjoyed coaching the Exeter College group this season, and hope that we can have more of an impact over the next 12 months with an exciting new cohort coming in.”
Meanwhile, Truro College played four matches in the AoC League, winning all four games. They then went on tour to Portugal where they compete in the U19s division of the Portugal Youth Rugby Festival.
They finished their pool stages with two wins and one loss which put them straight into the semi-final on day two. A hard-fought battle against Recode from New Zealand saw them fall just short, finding themselves in a 3rd/4th play-off, which they won 15-5 against Sullis/Lisboa from Portugal.
Mal Roberts, Exeter Chiefs Academy coach, said: “This was an amazing, well-run tournament, and a great stage and experience for our academy players to grow and develop their rugby skill-sets while also gaining valuable memories as young adults.”
Although the university and the colleges’ seasons have come to an end, players have been training alongside the Chiefs Women in recent weeks. Katherine Dyke, Katrina Kayes, Kerslake, Sophie Lagford, Izzy Newnes-Smith, Plowman, Eva Sterritt, Lucy Ward, Frankie Welsher and Ellie Wood have joined practice sessions at Flowerpots.
Leitch concluded: “This has been the first year of the U23s programme. There are many things to celebrate, but the work is not done yet, We are committed to building on the successes of this season. We are striving for more pathway representation in the PWR across the next five years.
“However, this U23s programme is not just PWR numbers, it is retention in the sport. We want all young girls who pick up a rugby ball in Exeter to stay engaged and connected with the sport for years to come. That is the true marker of our success.”
Written By:
Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club
