Match report: Exeter Chiefs Women 52 - 10 Leicester Tigers Women

Caroline Moore at Sandy Park

Six tries in the first half, including one from injury returnee centre Nancy McGillivray, set up Exeter Chiefs Women for a comprehensive PWR home victory over Leicester Tigers Women at Sandy Park today.

The first came after just six minutes when a Tigers lineout throw fell into Emily Robinson's hands. Lock Niamh Orchard took up the charge enabling the No 8 to dive over the try-line from close quarters.

A quick-tap penalty from sister Flo Robinson saw the scrum-half send the ball to captain Poppy Leitch then flanker Maisy Allen who found Georgina Tasker on the wing. She made some crucial extra yards down the wing before passing back inside for Flo Robinson to score.

The Robinson sisters continued their good work at scrum-time with them proving quite a force in releasing the rest of the team to eat up Tigers’ territory, this time finding Allen for the third try.

As the clocked ticked over for the end of the first quarter, centre Nancy McGillivray stepped up to score from a satisfying interception…just as she was about to be subbed off. All memories of her 17 months of rehabilitation were immediately dispelled with the most popular try of the afternoon.

Meanwhile, fly-half Liv McGoverne had been solid from the tee with four out of four conversion but she fancied a bit of try time too! With Tigers struggling to get out of their own half with the running game, they opted to kick. McGoverne was under the high ball and recycled it with Flo Robinson at her side until she found the try-line. She converted her own try…of course.

The last points on the board of the first half saw Eilidh Sinclair find space down the wing to almost gift Sabrina Poulin her first Chiefs try but she was held up and the forwards got involved with flanker Ebony Jefferies the scorer.

Half-time: 40-0

Tigers were a different team after half-time claiming more possession and gaining more ground. It was a scoreless third quarter before replacement lock Charlotte Fray galloped through a gap after a lineout and offloaded to centre Evie Wills for Leicester’s first try.

Chiefs rekindled their affection for the scoreboard when centre Naomi Brennan burst through Tigers' defence to offload to replacement prop Mikiela Nelson for her first try for the club.

Tasker then came so close after a devasting run that left Tigers’ defence grasping for air. She was somehow held up and a quick Chiefs penalty released Sinclair for Chiefs’ eighth try.

The last word came from Tigers flanker Jordan Russell though after an impressive break of her own, but it was too little too late. Chiefs had claimed the win and a four-try bonus point to take their second victory in as many weeks.

Full-time: 52-10

Exeter Chiefs Women: M Doidge; E Sinclair, N McGillivray (S Poulin 23), N Brennan (E Cunningham 73), G Tasker; L McGoverne, F Robinson (L Nye 51); D Swann (M Nelson 49), C Nielson (M Whitehouse 61), F Long (S Evans 69), P Leith (c), N Orchard, E Jefferies (Z Feaunati 57), M Allen (T Bricknell 61), E Robinson

Tries: E Robinson, F Robinson, Allen, McGillivray, McGoverne, Jefferies, Nelson, Sinclair

Cons: McGoverne (6)

Leicester Tigers Women: A Swartz (C Daley 74); Z Evans (C Quansah HT), E Wills, K Childs, E Beaver; S Nicholas, J Maxwell (c) (A Relf 49); E Smith (Z Alema 62), A Bainbridge (A Bowes 74), N Vincent (S Benavent 51), L Heath, E Pohjanheimo (C Fray HT), J Russell, M Richardson, R Sinclair (N Simpson 62)

Tries: Wills, Russell

Referee: C Maxwell-Keys

Attendance: 1,091