Team news: Team announced for top-of-the-table clash
Exeter Chiefs Women’s coaching team has announced the 23 that will travel to the StoneX Stadium for Saturday’s top-of-the-table Allianz PWR clash with Saracens (KO 14:30).
After last week’s win against Ealing Trailfinders, much of the starting XV remains the same with the exception of centre Kanako Kobayashi, prop DaLeaka Menin and flanker Edel McMahon back in action from the get-go.
Assistant coach Steve Salvin said: “We’ve made some changes this week to suit the opposition and to suit the game plan we want to play.
“Tricky (Edel McMahon) coming in at seven would be a good example of that. Physicality is her point of difference. We think her coming into the team will certainly give us a real physical edge. She is one of the best in the world at doing that.”
Among the starting XV that have been retained from last week’s match is Hope Rogers, who got back into the scoring habit against Trailfinders.
Salvin said: “For Hope to go through what was quite a traumatic experience with the neck surgery as a front rower and to come back in, be available for two games, start both, and then score a try, is remarkable. Hope has a really positive impact on the group as a person as much as she does as a player. If there is a better loosehead in the world, I’m not sure I’ve seen them.”
On the bench, Chiefs Women welcome scrum-half Olivia Ortiz for her potential first league appearance, as back-up for Brooke Bradley, after Eloise Hayward took a knock last weekend.
“Brooke’s really established herself in the team this year, which has been really good to see,” continued Salvin. “But when you consider Brooke, and then Liv, Eloise, Sammy (Wong) and Mairi (McDonald), the quality of scrum-halves she is surrounded by, we are massively fortunate to have that level of depth.”
Chiefs go into this weekend just three points behind Saracens. Of the eight games these sides have played, they have won four each with many of the scores being very close.
Salvin concluded: “It’s one of those games that when you get the fixture list, you look to see where and when you are playing them. This weekend is not season defining for anyone, but it is a massive game.
“There is obviously a rivalry with the men’s teams that goes back for the best part of decade. That rivalry is growing within the women’s game. Obviously, it’s not long standing but it’s still pretty fierce, which is great. It creates storylines, interest and puts bums on seats, and we want more and more of that.”
Exeter Chiefs Women
15 Merryn Doidge (vc)
14 Claudia MacDonald
13 Kanako Kobayashi
12 Gabby Cantorna
11 Katie Buchanan
10 Alex Tessier
9 Brooke Bradley
1 Hope Rogers
2 Cliodhna Moloney
3 DaLeaka Menin
4 Nichola Fryday
5 Poppy Leitch (c)
6 Maddie Feaunati
7 Edel McMahon
8 Rachel Johnson
Replacements:
16 Emily Tuttosi
17 Abby Middlebrooke
18 Lizzie Hanlon
19 Harriet Millar-Mills
20 Ebony Jefferies
21 Maisy Allen
22 Olivia Ortiz
23 Danielle Preece