Match report: Trailfinders Women 22 - 41 Exeter Chiefs Women

Caroline Moore at Trailfinders Sports Ground

Four tries from prop Hope Rogers helped Exeter Chiefs Women to a bonus-point win at Trailfinders Sports Ground today to maintain their unbeaten run in the PWR.

After a shaky start that saw flanker Grace White score in the second minute on the back a solid lineout, Chiefs began to make their own lineout and scrum dominance count.

A penalty awarded to Chiefs at scrum-time saw centre Alex Tessier unleash an enormous kick to touch to give hooker Emily Tuttosi her first lineout throw of the 2024/25 season. Dorothy Wall took it on for the drive with the backs ready to add extra yards, but in the end, it was the small yards that saw Rogers over for her first try after 13 minutes gone.

When Trailfinders did get their scrum to work, Chiefs managed to wrestle the ball back in the loose but a kick into England winger Abby Dow’s hands spelled danger. A penalty to Trailfinders saw them opt for the lineout and drive option by they were held up.

Offered the same opportunity two minutes later, and this time hooker Kat Evans scored leaving Chiefs behind on 10-5.

The lineout was king – or queen – today as when Chiefs had the opportunity to execute the same move, they sent Rogers over for her second try meaning she had scored as many tries as she had made appearances.

That tidy statistic did not last long as the same scenario gave Rogers her hat-trick just minutes later.

The fourth try saw Chiefs give themselves a bit more space to run and to release Sabrina Poulin for the bonus-point try.

Half-time: 10-22

Chiefs did not start the second half well, compounded by a collision between No 8 Rachel Johnson and Trailfinders' full-back Alivia Leatherman that saw the former leave the field with a yellow card.

The ensuing penalty led to an immediate try – a second for Evans – following a lineout. Trailfinders continued to put Chiefs under pressure with one woman down, but a penalty to Chiefs for Trailfinders being offside gave them an opportunity to breathe.

Tessier found touch and prop DaLeaka Menin found some space with a searching run that took the visitors deep into Trailfinders' 22 leaving a simple pick-and-go for Rogers and her fourth try.

Trailfinders brought on a new front row but it could not prevent them from leaking a penalty that saw another lineout and drive send Tuttosi over for a welcome back score.

The last quarter was a little more untidy than the previous 60 minutes but a Trailfinders’ overthrow at the lineout saw Clara Nielson carry the ball into space, but, ultimately, an opportunity was missed with a chip-kick that fell into the home side's hands.

When the Chiefs kept the ball in hand, they still looked dangerous. Carry, carry, carry was the name of the game until fly-half Liv McGoverne made a break and passed out to the wing for Katie Buchanan to score.

In the dying minutes, 81 Chiefs give away a penalty, which Trailfinders converted into a try for Annabel Meta. A shame to let the opposition back in at the end but still pleasing to take five points on the road.

Full-time: 22-41

Trailfinders Women: N Gallagher (R Inman 43); G White, J Cooksey (E Amory 51), L Thomson, A Dow; J Schell, C Mattinson; A Leatherman (K Tamai 64), K Evans (P Stathopoulos 54), C Tuffnail (S Seye 54), T Beukeboom (A Meta 63), S Pinnock (R Burnfield 54), E Taylor (G Moore 9), A Burton, K Zackary (c)

Tries: White, K Evans (2), Mata

Con: Schell

Exeter Chiefs Women: M Doidge (Cramer 57); S Poulin, N McGillivray, A Tessier (Perry 67), K Buchanan; McGoverne, F Robinson (vc) (L Nye 69); H Rogers (Nelson 57), E Tuttosi (Nielson 57), D Menin (Jacoby 57), P Leith (c), D Wall, E Jefferies (Linde van der Velden 61), M Feaunati (N Orchard 23-34), R Johnson (N Orchard 52-56)

Tries: Rogers (4), Poulin, Tuttosi, Buchanan

Cons: Tessier, McGoverne (2)

Yellow card: Johnson

Referee: H Wood