Chiefs Women 62 Warriors Women 18
Exeter Chiefs Women 62
Worcester Warriors Women 18
Mark Stevens at Sandy Park
Exeter’s attacking groove was again in tune as they made it back-to-back wins in this season’s Allianz Premier 15s.
A week ago it was bottom club DMP Sharks who were spun in every direction by Susie Appleby’s side, today it was the turn of Worcester Warriors to suffer a similar fate in Round Three.
Another double figure try-count not only helped the Chiefs to maintain their place within the top three, but sent out an ominous warning to their rivals that things are starting to click nicely at Sandy Park.
Tries from Kate Zackary, Nichola Fryday, Liv McGoverne and Clara Nielson ensured the bonus point was wrapped up by half time, after which further touchdowns from Flo Robinson, Ebony Jefferies, Maisy Allen, Katie Buchanan, Panashe Muzambe and Cliodhna Moloney put the seal on a stylish showing.
Worcester, to be fair, were always competitive throughout, scoring tries through Vicky Laflin, Carys Cox and Deborah Wills, but they were rare highlights on a day when they were distinctly second best.
Fresh from their 15-try thumping of the DMP Sharks the previous week, Appleby made four changes ahead of kick-off bringing in Silvia Turani and Linde van der Velden up front, while behind there were starts for Charlie Woodman and the returning Zackary.
Worcester, meanwhile, were back in Devon for the second time looking to not only replicate their success in the Allianz Cup, but also build on their solid start to the season, which included an opening week win away to Harlequins.
With conditions virtually perfect at Sandy Park, it did not take the Chiefs long to pick up from where they left off the previous week. Indeed, just seven minutes had elapsed before ‘Captain America’ Zackary marked her first start of the season by finishing off by the posts after the hosts had set up the chance with a well-constructed driving maul.
McGoverne slotted the extras to that score and Exeter’s second which arrived not only long after. Skipper Poppy Leitch led the charge, followed up by van der Velden, before the ball was ship on the blind-side to Fryday who, still with work to do, powerfully fended off the attentions of a Worcester defender to score in the left corner.
It was just the start Appleby would have craved from her side who continued to boss both territory and possession for large parts of the first half. Worcester, though, were looking good in the scrum and it was from one particular set-piece that they were able to open their account for the afternoon through the boot of fly-half Nicholas.
Visiting cheers, though, proved short-lived as within minutes the hosts were back on the offensive, landing their third try when following some sustained phase play from the Chiefs, they fashioned the opening for McGoverne to pick the gap and glide in by the sticks for a score she was also able to convert.
Worcester - to their credit - were refusing to go quietly and having won a penalty advantage deep inside the Chiefs 22, they exposed a clever move down the blindside, replacement Lana Skeldon providing the scoring pass for winger Laflin to touchdown.
Again, the home response was emphatic as with the clock in the red at the end of the half, the Chiefs wrapped up the all-important bonus point when Nielson was credited with the finish from a brilliant catch-and-drive move.
HALF TIME: EXETER CHIEFS WOMEN 26 WORCESTER WARRIORS WOMEN 8
On the resumption, the Chiefs were again quickly into their attacking stride, camping themselves deep inside the Warriors 22 through a succession of penalties. This time, though, the Warriors were braced for the threat, twice thwarting their rivals with some determined work in defence.
Undeterred, the hosts continued to pile forward in numbers. Back-row forward Allen was a constant threat with ball in hand, underlining the promise that Appleby has waxed lyrical about for much of this season.
And it was from her initial bust that the Chiefs were able to work the opening for Robinson to snipe over, the scrum-half given the easiest of tasks after McGoverne had again caused issues with a brilliant running line.
The Chiefs were warming to the occasion and as the Warriors wilted, so the tries started to flow in quick succession. Jefferies and Allen both barged their way over from close range, before Buchanan produced the moment of the match, slaloming her way to the posts with a fantastic run in off the left flank.
It was ruthless from the Chiefs and there weren’t finished there, replacement Muzambe getting in on the scoring act when she was able to drive her way over from eight metres after the visitors had done well to stop the raid of Woodman down the right wing.
Although the contest was over as a real spectacle, the Warriors continued to offer a decent resistance, scoring two tries in the final ten minutes to give themselves a crumb of comfort heading back up the road.
Centre Cox grabbed the first of those two late scores, cantering over after the visitors had capitalised on a loose kick from McGoverne, while winger Wills had the final say of the game, rounding off a slick attack from the visitors that had started wide on the left and finished wide on the right.
In between, however, the Chiefs flexed their own muscles in attack, when strong approach work from McGoverne and Allen set the platform for replacement hooker Moloney to collect the ball on the charge, before bulldozing her way to the try-line.
Job done, all that was left for Appleby’s side was to lap up the acclaim of the home faithful, who had braved the cold conditions to cheer their side on.
Chiefs: M Doidge; K Buchanan, K Zackary (D Preece 70), G Cantorna (R Wilkins 55), C Woodman; L McGoverne, F Robinson (B Bradley 59); S Turani (P Muzambe 61), C Nielson (C Moloney 47), L Hanlon (C Jacoby 47); N Fryday (A Fleming 61), P Leitch (capt); E Jefferies, M Allen, L van der Velden (R Johnson 47).
Tries - Zackary, Fryday, McGoverne, Nielson, Robinson, Jefferies, Allen, Buchanan, Muzambe, Moloney; Conversions - McGoverne (6)
Warriors: C McNaney; D Wills, C Cox, A Kershaw, V Laflin (capt); S Nicholas (N Terry 56), T Sellors (J Kershaw 59); C Tremelling (S Evans 75), E Febry (L Skeldon 25), F Long (C Wells 56); N John, A Buckland-Hurry (L O’Donnell 56); S McCarthy (E Shermor 56), C Wright-Haley, T Bricknell (S Moreira 75).
Tries - Laflin, Cox, Wills; Penalty - Nicholas
Referee: D Jones
Attendance: 623