Match Reaction - Susie Appleby
By James Fowler
23/10/22
Exeter Chiefs Women’s Head Coach Susie Appleby admitted she was pleased her side managed to ‘find a way to win’ as they overcame rivals Harlequins in their final pool game in this season’s Allianz Cup.
Another sizeable crowd poured into Sandy Park to watch the reigning holders collect their third victory of the season. However, it wasn’t always pretty for the Chiefs and Appleby knows as much.
As they did against Gloucester-Hartpury last weekend, the Chiefs saved their best for the final quarter. Again, their dominant driving maul was eventually rewarded with two late tries for replacement Clara Nielson.
Earlier, the Devonians had started strongly, claiming the lead inside the opening ten minutes when No.8 Maisy Allen powered her way over from close range.
The signs were very promising for the hosts, however Harlequins slowly built into the game and they were rewarded with a penalty from Ellie Green and a well taken try from full-back Freya Aucken to give the visitors the lead at the break.
Green added another penalty for Harlequins not long after the restart, however the Chiefs power game eventually proved too much for their rivals and Nielson’s two late scores secured the victory for the home side.
Post-game, Appleby outlined how pleased she was that her young side found a way to get over the line.
“I’m pleased for the girls because we’ve worked hard in this Cup period with a new group, a young group, so I’m pleased that we got the win,” she said. “We didn’t manage the game very well, so it could have been a lot easier, but that’s life and that’s learning.”
With a further two tries coming from driving mauls, following the three they scored in the previous round against Gloucester-Hartpury, Appleby although pleased with that aspect of the game, was keen to make sure her side doesn’t become a ‘one trick pony’.
“I guess the getting to that driving maul situation is the bit of the playing and it’s positive that we’re getting to that position. We need to make sure that continues, however everyone’s going to be defending that, as Quins did very well on occasions today, so what’s plan B and C and making sure we’re not a one trick pony.”
The Chiefs struggled at times to keep hold of the ball in what were very challenging weather conditions and Appleby felt that this simply was down to trying to play too much rugby.
“We said don’t play with the ball, don’t play with the ball in these middle two thirds because it’s too difficult to play, so send the ball down there and make them play,” she continued. “Especially in the first half we did play with too much ball, but as I said we managed to find a way to the other end of a success and a win, so that’s testament to the girls, but we have to be better at managing games.”
Reflecting on the Allianz Cup campaign, with all four Pool games having now been completed, Appleby said that she was pleased with the development of the young players within her squad.
“There’s a lot of players within this group, players like Lizzie Hanlon at tight-head who has really come of age, stepping out of university rugby, Abby Middlebrooke at loosehead coming out of the college environment into an apprenticeship and then into senior rugby. So, there’s a few examples of players really coming of age, and that’s super pleasing, alongside other experienced players.”
“Nancy showed herself in the second half what she’s capable of, so loads of positives coming out, and we don’t play again for another four weeks and then we’re into the league so it’s going to be a step up and we need to be a step up.”
With the Chiefs World Cup stars returning next month for the commencement of the Allianz Premier 15s, Appleby said that reintegrating all those players back into the Chiefs squad will be a challenge.
“The message has always been, make yourself good enough and perform well enough to stay in that shirt, no matter if an international player comes back from New Zealand, and as I said there’s a few examples of players doing exactly that and players not doing that.”
“It's going to be interesting, reinterrogation, bringing 17 players from across the world who have not just physically but mentally been in their own international worlds, and it is draining being in that kind of environment and then reinterrogating into a squad whose found cohesion, in whatever way it is. There’s challenges ahead, not just for us, but for every single team in this league, so it’s going to be an interesting time.”
Reflecting on her side’s first win of the season at Sandy Park, Appleby talked about how pleased she was to see so many people come and support the team.
“It’s brilliant, I thought people might not come because it was absolutely chucking it down and the boys were at home yesterday, but they still come and they still support us, and the girls absolutely love it, and the crowd love them, so you know it’s all very very positive.”