Team news: Chiefs Women look for further improvement for PWR Cup semi-final

Exeter Chiefs Women will field a largely unchanged side as they head to the StoneX for the PWR Cup semi-final against Saracens.

Former Scotland and GB sevens winger Eilidh Sinclair is back after sitting out the last few rounds with a fractured eye socket.

Sophie Langford retains her spot at outside centre after coming on as a last-minute replacement for Hannah Bluck ahead of the Trailfinders game two weeks ago.

On the bench, Chiefs Women has welcomed back Ireland’s Rugby World Cup centre Nancy McGillivray while Hannah Sams and Eleanor Hing will also be hoping to make an impact.

Head coach Steve Salvin said: “I think the girls have done exceptionally well to get to this position. We spoke about it in the huddle after the Trailfinders game. We knew the Quins game was going to be a challenge. We hadn't played for a long time. We'd changed a lot in terms of the way we play, and we'd got a big number of young players and new players in that game.

“But if you look at the improvement from the Quins game into the Gloucester game, then into the Trailfinders game, it was really significant week on week. I think the challenge for us this weekend is to try and ensure we see that same level of development and improvement again.”

Chiefs will travel to the StoneX on Sunday for a 14:00 kick-off. They qualified second in pool A while Saracens topped pool B with a perfect four out of four wins.

Salvin added: “I think you only have to look at the other pool to see how strong Saracens are. They are a squad that have got a lot of squad depth and their cup team is particularly strong with the likes of Liz Crake, Poppy Cleall and Sydney Gregson. These girls were all England Internationals.

“It's always tough going to the StoneX and I think they're without question favourites to win the competition overall, but we'll approach it in the same way that we have the other games. We'll put the performance at the forefront of what we're trying to do. We'll prepare as best we possibly can, and hopefully that'll give us the best possible chance of being competitive.”

Exeter Chiefs Women

15 Merryn Elworthy
14 Eilidh Sinclair
13 Sophie Langford
12 Naomi Brennan
11 Katie Buchanan
10 Liv McGoverne
9 Flo Robinson (vc)
1 Demi Swann
2 Kayleigh Preece
3 Alessia Skeates~
4 Linda van der Velden
5 Emily Robinson (c)
6 Taz Bricknell
7 Maisy Allen (vc)
8 Gabriella Nigrelli

Replacements:
16 Sofia Bekir Fuente
17 ⁠Hannah Sams
18 Lilly Plowman
19 ⁠Lola Whitley
20 ⁠ Zoe Dare
21 ⁠Lucy Nye
22 Nancy McGillivray
23 Eleanor Hing