Welcome Week marks new year for Exeter Chiefs Women’s pathway
With Welcome Week in full flow at the University of Exeter, rugby has begun in earnest for the Exeter Chiefs Women’s player pathway.
While most students arrived in the city last weekend, the women’s university rugby squad has been in training for more than five weeks. A pre-season friendly against BUCS Super Rugby champions Cardiff Met at the start of September saw the side get off to a good start with a comfortable win.
Earlier in the week, Exeter University Women (formerly known as Exeter Athletic Dakota Women) kicked off their season with their first Championship South 1 game against Richmond. Twelve players made their debuts in the green and white shirt, playing senior rugby for the first time, with 10 stepping up from the Exeter College pathway. The University are due to play Henley Hawks this Sunday (KO 14:00) at Topsham Sports Ground.
The British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Super Rugby season will start on 15 October against Edinburgh University away and then 22 October for their first home game against Brunel University.
Although the university is known for its top-end performance, new players are also welcome. Taster sessions saw more than 40 new players coming along to give the game go, many of whom inspired by watching the ongoing Rugby World Cup.
The next academic year for Exeter and Truro College is also in full force with both programmes welcoming new players. Exeter College kicked off their ACE season with a win against Richard Huish College. The team showed true spirit, managing tricky conditions and a very physical opposition. There were standout performances from Honey Kerslake and Rowan Turley in the pack, and Beth Hall and Rose Powell-Williams in the backline, to secure a 29-22 win.
Truro College travelled to Exeter to play in a round robin of development fixtures this week. Truro College brought buckets of passion and physicality to the day. Rosie Allen had several good touches on the ball, dotting down for an impressive individual try against SGS, while Elizabeth Watson-Glover led from the front.
U23s programme lead Poppy Leitch has her hands full, supported by coaches Emily Robinson, Flo Robinson and Abby Middlebrooke. Alex Tessier, captain of Canada, and international team-mate Emily Tuttosi will be joining the coaching cohort after the Rugby World Cup.
Leitch said: “I have been blown away with the talent we have across the pathway programmes. Having so many aspiring players is a good problem for me to have. At the moment, I am coaching and overseeing more than 150 players. The support from our U23s coaches has allowed us to get a hold of many of those players and provide them top-end coaching and skill development. I am really excited about the year ahead.”
The results of the programme have been in evidence in the first few rounds of this season’s PWR Cup with 14 of its current or former players in action for Exeter Chiefs Women. The programme has been represented at World Cup level too with former Exeter University student Nancy McGillivray running out for Ireland.
To find out more about these teams and their upcoming fixtures, follow them here:
Photo credit for University of Exeter photos: John Lambourn
Photo credit for Exeter College photos: Caroline Thomas