Match report: Exeter Chiefs Women 29 - 17 Bristol Bears Women

Caroline Moore at Sandy Park

Exeter Chiefs Women finished the PWR Up series with a second win – this time, with five tries at home against local rivals Bristol Bears.

The first try of the afternoon was scored in the first minute. Winger Katie Buchanan dotted down after Bristol Bears were enjoying possession in their own 22 but as the ball went loose, flanker Maisy Allen pounced on the opportunity in front of her. Lock Niamh Orchard passed to her fellow second-row Poppy Leitch, whose long pass released Buchanan for the score.

The first scrum for Chiefs did not fire for the home side and they were pushed off the ball. Bristol swarmed forward to take advantage of being so close to the line, but the ball was played on the floor…so scrum to Chiefs. The second Chiefs scrum went the same way and Bristol piled in, but the ball was knocked over the try line.

A Bristol penalty was kicked to touch by fly-half Natalee Evans and the ensuing lineout throw was gathered by No 8 Gabriella Nigrelli running into the line. A neat move but, ultimately, Chiefs kept the visitors penned back for the following three minutes of play.

A toe in touch under a high kick meant Chiefs lost possession back to Bristol minutes later to give the visitors their second lineout. A more classic move this time got them back in Chiefs’ 22, but again, the defence held strong and Bristol knocked on.

Hooker Millie Whitehouse stole the ball from the next Bristol lineout to snaffle back possession. Buchanan set off down the wing and the visitors were called offside. Fly-half Liv McGoverne kicked the ball to touch into Bristol’s 22 and the lineout was good but a darting run by Taz Bricknell saw the flanker hit the floor and she had to be helped off the pitch with a leg injury.

Chiefs started to bite back at Bristol’s possession with Leitch stripping the ball from the visitors to allow Allen to score her third try in two weeks! The conversion was successfully taken Liv McGoverne.

As the game continued, Bristol has plenty of possession but could not find any space to get out them out of Chiefs’ 22. In extra time of the first half, Chiefs had all the territory and much of the possession but could not convert the opportunity they created. Flanker Ebony Jefferies, on for Bricknell, had several attempts but was thwarted with Naomi Brennan also troubling the try line but not quite getting the ball down.

Half-time: 12-0

Bristol were the first to score in the second half when a restart kick from behind the try line did not go far enough and Bristol seized possession for No 8 Gabriella Nigrelli to go over the line after five minutes gone.

Bristol lineouts were giving them the platform they needed to release their backs. A yellow card for Stef Evans helped their cause too and Chiefs were given a break when Bristol gave up a penalty right on the try line.

Chiefs spent virtually all of the third quarter in their own half and when they did return to Bristol territory, the visitors’ backline combined to head straight back down the pitch via the right wing to send overfull-back Mille David for their second try. This was converted by Evans to level the scores at 12-12.

Despite the run of play being very much in Bristol’s favour, Chiefs managed to win back possession with Brennan and Sophie Langford combining to give Flo Robinson her first try since returning to Exeter.

The game see-sawed back in Bristol’s favour when a lineout-maul combination gave Amber Reed the opportunity to send a long pass out to Lydia Thompson so she could stroll over for Bristol’s third try taking the scores to 17-17.

It seemed the chance to seal the win may have been lost when a Chiefs penalty kicked to touch saw the following lineout throw go straight into Bristol hands, but a short chip- kick from the opposition was collected by Niamh Orchard. With all the action in Bristol’s 22 and Chiefs back in possession, the forwards kept pressing to create the space for McGoverne to get her second try in a fortnight.

Just when you thought it was all game over as the clock ticked into injury time, McGoverne pounced again to make it five tries and a second win for this new crop of Chiefs players.

Full-time: 29-17

Exeter Chiefs Women: M Doidge; G Tasker, N Brennan, G Cantorna, K Buchanan; L McGoverne, L Nye F Robinson; D Swann, M Whitehouse, H Sams, P Leith (c), N Orchard, T Bricknell, M Allen, E Robinson

Rolling reps: K Priest, A Middlebrooke, F Long, E Jefferies T Bricknell, Z Feaunati, F Robinson, E Cunningham, E Sinclair

Tries: Buchanan, Allen, F Robinson, McGoverne (2)

Cons: McGoverne (2)

Yellow card: Evans

Bristol Bears Women M David; R Bonner (c), E Lovibond, J De Vera, A Coles; N Evans, E Lewis; S Pam, J Sprague, E Marston-Mulhearn (vc), N Beet, C Balogun, J Herring, H Caux, G Nigrelli

Rolling reps: H Pashaei-Targhoun, D Dinapoli, D Reed, D Burns, R Marston-Mulhearn, T Ryall, A Reed, L Thompson

Tries: Nigrelli, David, Thompson

Cons: Evans

Referee: Hamish Grant

Attendance: 971