The English top-flight returned from a six-week break with impressive crowds continuing to benefit from the post-Rugby World Cup bounce and the battle for top four spots as tight as ever. While just six points separate third from sixth in the Women’s Premiership, reigning champions Gloucester-Hartpury once again proved their superiority with a seven-try 45-26 win over Loughborough that lifted them above Saracens at the top of the table.
Gloucester are now five points clear of Saracens, who did not play like weekend, and 12 of the chasing pack as they continued their unbeaten run with their last league defeat coming in November 2024. The defending champions underlined their intent for a fourth consecutive title with a stunning home display. Wales international Nel Metcalfe was the star for the hosts with a 24-minute first-half hat-trick. Her performances will be giving Wales supporters a sprinkling of hope leading in to the Women’s Six Nations in two months’ time.
Over an hour before kick-off fans were queueing outside the stadium for a ticket with others choosing to shelter from the rain the coffee shop run by Gloucester players Mo Hunt and Zoe Stratford. The weather did not improve so supporters were forced to brave the conditions. One couple sat just in front of the press box shared how they have supported Gloucester for years but after watching the Red Roses during the World Cup they are going to attend their first England game for the Women’s Six Nations opener against Ireland at Twickenham in April. The England head coach John Mitchell, who signed a new long-term contract earlier this week, will be hoping to seal his third Six Nations title and was spotted at Kingsholm to assess some of his players before the tournament.
Loughborough did put up a good fight but Metcalfe’s antics, as well as another impactful performance from the Gloucester full-back Emma Sing confirmed a bonus-point win. “She [Metcalfe] has come on strides,” said the hooker Kelsey Jones, who scored Gloucester’s fourth try of the afternoon. “I think you can see that confidence growing in her game. The want to get the ball in her hand, the cross-field kicks, whatever it may be. She wants to take defenders on, she wants to create space as well. She is phenomenal. It will be super exciting over the next few years to see what she can do within this club environment but hopefully take that on to the world stage playing for Wales as well.”
Fans were packed into the shed at Kingsholm and impressive attendance numbers were not just present in the West Country as Trailfinders, who kicked off the league’s return on Friday night, experienced their best crowd of the season so far with 2,233. The fans were treated to an absolute thriller as Harlequins beat the hosts by a single point in the dying moments of the game.
It was a ferocious battle but Quins managed to come out on top to maintain third place when Wales international Alex Callender scored in the 78th minute with Claudia Peña adding the conversion.
Bristol ended their winless streak in dramatic fashion with a last-minute penalty sealing a 30-29 victory over Sale, just their second of the season. Bristol had lost six on the bounce but Keira Bevan’s boot brought their misery to a close, while Leicester’s winless season continued with Exeter inflicting a 36-0 defeat.
The jostling for top-four positions may have opened up slightly but Gloucester remain the ones to beat in the top-flight and it will take a perfect performance to dismantle the champions. Jones revealed Gloucester are aiming for a flawless season. She said: “It’s motivation, we have had such good seasons in the last few years but we haven’t gone unbeaten. It’s been really important to keep that momentum going and we don’t want to stop now, we just want to keep on going.”
