Chiefs Women's side to face Falcons

By Mark Stevens

16/2/20

Suzy Appleby says there is real excitement amongst the ranks as her Exeter Chiefs Women’s side prepare to tackle their Newcastle Falcons counterparts at Kingston Park today (11:30am).

In what is the first official outing for the newly-formed Women’s team, this morning’s friendly fixture offers Head Coach Appleby and her assistant, Amy Garnett, the ideal opportunity to run the rule over their squad of players.

Naturally, both coaches are relishing the prospect of putting into practice what has now been several weeks of hard work behind the scenes.

“As coaches, as a club, we’re very excited about Sunday’s game,” said Appleby. “Obviously, we’ve been using a lot of the squad in league games with Exeter Athletic over the past few months, but this will be a great opportunity for us to see where we are in terms of our overall development.

“Amy has done a fantastic job in putting the squad together and each week we are seeing the whole set-up gaining more and more momentum. Games like Sunday are what we need right now, not only to look at the squad as a whole, but to offer that experience and that insight into what we will need moving forward.”

Back in September, Exeter Rugby Club chief executive Tony Rowe OBE, alongside Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, revealed the club’s ambitious plans to create a new women’s team, the aim of which would be to feature in the Tyrrell’s Premiership from next season.

Former England internationals Appleby and Garnett have been entrusted with overseeing the Women’s set-up, including putting together the club’s application to enter into the Premiership.

“Our application has gone in now and we’ll hopefully get a decision at the start of April,” explained Appleby. “We’ve had to move quickly on a lot of fronts, but this is the start point for all of us.

“This weekend’s game is the first occasion where we have really put ourselves out there as an Exeter Chiefs Women’s side, but it’s exciting and we’re very much looking forward to the game.”

England Women’s Sevens star Lottie Holland is amongst the visiting line-up as are Swedish sisters Matilda and Paulina Toresator and Linde van der Velden from the Netherlands.

“We’ve got a real range of experience within the squad,” continued Appleby. “Lottie has obviously played in the Premiership and for England Sevens. We’ve got a few players who have come in from overseas, but what is really pleasing is that we have five Exeter College students in the squad.

“For us, that is our bread and butter moving forward. The College have put together a fantastic programme for young players, so we’re delighted that we are able to have a number of them within the squad.”

Following today’s game, the Exeter Chiefs Women will next be in action at Sandy Park on Saturday, March 7 when they play the Army (10:45am). This fixture will act as the curtain-raiser to the Gallagher Premiership clash between the Chiefs and Bath that day.

EXETER CHIEFS WOMEN’S SIDE TO FACE NEWCASTLE FALCONS

15 Nell Ridgeway
14 Garnet McKinder
13 Lottie Holland
12 Mollie Pepper
11 Paulina Toresator
10 Izzy Love
9 Matilda Toresator
1 Michaella Roberts
2 Charlie Budge
3 Libby Peake
4 Lou Anning
5 Kayleigh Armstrong
6 Jo McBain (capt)
7 Ebony Jeffries
8 Linde van der Velden

16 Amelia Marshall
17 Abby Middlebrooke
18 Milla Lynch-Barsby
19 Mya Andrews
20 Niamh Terry
21 Gabby Gower
22 Frankie Perry