Saracens will avoid their bogey team, Gloucester-Hartpury, in the Premiership Women’s Rugby final after Ealing Trailfinders sensationally knocked out the three-time defending champions. The 29-26 result is one of the biggest upsets in PWR history as Gloucester have won the last three titles but an injury-hit squad and a recent run of disappointing performances sealed the end of their dominance in the top flight and gave Saracens their ideal outcome.
Sarries, who defeated Exeter 40-38 in their semi-final, are within one game of a fourth PWR title but they had a far from convincing win at home with Exeter giving them a scare as the visitors were leading until the 75th minute. Saracens will play Trailfinders in the final on 28 June, a side they have never lost to, unlike their recent poor record against Gloucester. The West Country side inflicted Saracens’ only two losses in the league this season and they also defeated them in last year’s final at the Stone X Stadium.
The two semi-finals were the most competitive playoffs the league has seen in its latest era, which began in 2017, with the upset and a see-sawing game in north London. For some time it looked like Exeter were also going to cause a shock but their attempt for a first final in three years was eventually stomped out with the PWR player of the season, Olivia Apps, inspiring a comeback win.
The scrum-half scored two tries and her half-back partner, Zoe Harrison, was also key in an almost perfect goal-kicking display. The England player of the season missed only one of six kicks at goal all afternoon. Harrison will be one star Trailfinders must stop from getting a grip on the final and they will also take notes from the roadmap laid out by Exeter to pick at Saracens’ weak spots, particularly at scrum time where Hope Rogers had a lot of joy.
The USA international scored two tries in the first half to give the visitors a narrow lead at the break, despite Saracens scoring four tries of their own. The second half was a tension-fuelled affair with the momentum pendulum swinging back and forth every five minutes to leave fans sitting on the edge of their seats. The decisive blow came with an incredible solo effort from the Saracens full-back Jess Breach as she scored with five minutes remaining to extinguish any Exeter hope.
Rogers said: “Disappointment is the biggest word. It was in our hands to win and to lose it at the end, just overwhelming feelings of disappointment and knowing what the girls can do and all of the hard work we have done and now it is over it’s just disappointment. But I am proud of what we have done.”
The past three engravings on the PWR trophy read Gloucester but their title dominance is over. Saracens will be hoping to reignite their hold on the top flight after their own commanding era in the league from 2017-22 but if Trailfinders can cause a halt to one party, they can most certainly pop another balloon. One thing that is certain, the final is set to be a thriller.
“I am excited for the final,” said Apps, who admitted Exeter were the better side on Sunday. “I think Trailfinders are a really strong side and we haven’t necessarily played against the strongest Trailfinders team. It is going to be a really great match-up.
“I think it is a testament to how competitive the league is becoming. There are so many phenomenal players who are coming in and out of this league, sometimes internationals don’t even make the matchday 23. The women’s game has grown so much, even since the World Cup.”
