Zackary 'buzzing' after Sharks victory

By Harry Scott-Munro
15/9/21

Exeter Chiefs Women's co-captain, Kate Zackary, admitted that her side were “absolutely buzzing” to get their Allianz Premier 15s campaign firmly up and running, as they romped to a 54-0 victory over a toothless Sale Sharks.

The Chiefs scored eight tries in all, including a double from second-row McKinley Hunt, and further scores from Liv Jones, Kobayashi Kanako, Deleaka Menin, Ebony Jefferies, Jennine Duncan and Zackary herself to put bed to the disappointment of defeat against Bristol Bears just a week earlier.

Reflecting on that Bristol outing, Zackary admitted she couldn’t quite pinpoint what went wrong for her side, but was thrilled to see a marked improvement in this latest top-flight performance.

“Last week, I don’t know if it was first game of the season jitters or being on the road for the first game, but we made a lot of mistakes," she said. "We definitely fixed those today. There are a few other things to attend to though, before we head off to Quins' next week.”

That usually ever-so-reliable Chiefs defence shipped six tries against the Bears and Zackary acknowledged that “marked improvement” in her side’s defensive effort to nil the Sharks.

“We’ve focused a lot on our defence setup this weekend after being too soft on Bristol," she added. "We left too many spaces for them to take - and they capitalised. This week we put a big emphasis on our connections and doing the little things right. We’re talented athletes, so it’s about showing it.”

One of the most pleasing aspects of the collective performance was the ability of several players to show their versatility on the field, with several players having to step into the half-back roles throughout the afternoon due to a combination of injuries and substitutions. It was something that Zackary was keen to highlight, explaining that “it didn’t matter about the number on the jersey,” and highlighting the work of her co-captain Poppy Leitch in acting as that glue between the forwards and backs.

“You need people who can step into any role, whether that be a forward stepping into a backs role or a back stepping into a forwards role. We had people picking up the ball and carrying hard into contact and had people playmaking out the back as well,” explained Zackary. “Poppy is so well-known for that role, and it helps to create the connection as no matter who we lose, there’s someone else to fill their slot.”

Sunday’s match also marked the return of fans to competitive league matches at Sandy Park and Zackary was thrilled to see so many faces supporting the side.

“To have fans here and know that they’re not just fans, their women’s Chiefs fans is just brilliant. We’re hoping to see more people in the coming weeks as we continue to prove ourselves and improve our game.”

This Saturday will see Zackary and her team-mates head to the Twickenham Stoop for what should be a bumper clash with reigning champions Harlequins. 

And Zackary and her team-mates will be hoping that the positives taken from Sunday’s result will act as a huge plus for her side, ahead of what will no doubt be a ferocious encounter in London.