Chiefs Women 34 Warriors Women 14

Five minutes later, Garcia, moving back across to scrum-half, slotted a penalty to further extend her team’s advantage as Exeter continued to apply the pressure.

For all Worcester’s endeavour, they struggled to gain any territory or momentum throughout the match, as their ill-discipline let them down and allowed the Chiefs to capitalise. After several warnings from referee Max Weston, his patience finally wore thin after the 20-minute mark as England saw yellow for an infringement at the ruck on her own line.

The Chiefs thought they were in moments later through Olivia Jones after a beautifully crafted backs move only for the officials to adjudge that Nancy McGillivray’s pass had drifted forwards.

That second score would soon follow through Garcia. The score though was all about the work of Ebony Jefferies, who cut a superb line off Flo Robinson to break through the Warriors defence, showing her game awareness, to feed Garcia who was tracking on her inside to dive over, before converting her own try.

Chiefs were in rampant mood now as Mackinder scored her first of the season soon after. Again, it was work from forwards that made the try, lock Charlie Willett showing some silky hands to offload out of the tackle to Nielson, who then feed Mackinder to race clear from halfway.

A fourth try would follow in the final moments of the first period as Jefferies broke free into the Worcester 22, Garcia recycling quickly to then feed Robinson to race in under the posts, leaving a shellshocked Warriors under the posts again as Garcia added another two from the tee.

HALF-TIME: EXETER CHIEFS 29 WORCESTER WARRIORS 0

In the second half, Worcester looked to add to their firepower with the returning Jade Shekells coming on for her first appearance of the season after being out injured. The Chiefs, though, were straight back on the front foot yet more ill-discipline from the visitors continued to let them down.

In truth, Appleby and her side will be disappointed with their second half showing, as they were unable to capitalise on the chances they created. Multiple times they looked to build phases and possession in the Worcester half, only for handling errors or penalties in the face of ferocious defence, left tthem frustrated.

Whilst in the first half, Worcester will have been disappointed with their lack of discipline, they were superb in the second-half, Murphy continuing to pull the strings with a series of inventive kicking options to allow her side to work their way up the field.

The arrival onto the field of flyers Vivky Foxwell and Vicky Laflin also seemed to reenergise their backline, as they found space in the wide channels. Exeter’s defence though stood firm, with the back-row trio of Jefferies, Eilidh Sinclair and Maisy Allen defending resolutely and ferociously when it matted most to thwart wave after wave of Worcester attack.

The Warriors, however, would have the final say as a superb offload off the floor from Jo Brown sent Wright-Haley scampering away under the posts for her side’s second of the afternoon, Murphy again adding the extras.

Although disappointed to concede, the Chiefs had done their job, securing a victory that leaves them sitting at the top of the tree in Pool B of the Allianz Cup. Next up, the side will return to Premier 15s action against Loughborough Lightning at Sandy Park on November 27.