Chiefs Women to face Bristol Bears
By Jack Lewis
03/09/21
Weeks of off-field planning have finally been put to bed and it’s on-field matters that take centre stage for Exeter Chiefs Women as they prepare to face local rivals Bristol Bears Women in their opening fixture of the new Allianz Premier 15s season tomorrow (12pm).
Head Coach Susie Appleby has said the squad are ‘ready to go’ after all the effort that has been put into a gruelling pre-season. However, she is acutely aware that the hard work is only just beginning with a tough opener against their nearest and dearest at Shaftesbury Park.
Appleby will be looking to hit the ground running with a repeat of last season’s clash at the same venue, where the Chiefs claimed a narrow 31-27 victory thanks to a last-gasp score from winger Garnet Mackinder.
However, this time around they will be facing a renewed Bristol Bears team that have seen plenty of changes during the off-season. Appleby said Bristol “were disappointed with how they went last season,” but with a new head coach in former Harlequins and Cornish Pirates hooker, Dave Ward, “we don’t quite know what to expect” from the new look Bears outfit.
“With Abbie Ward coming into the equation, they’ve signed some good strong individuals to add to an already strong side,” said Appleby, who expects to face a Bears team ‘galvanised, especially with new people coming into the squad.’
“One thing we can be sure of is that it is sure to be a hugely physical challenge, and one that both teams are going to be really looking forward to.”
The Chiefs, though, will be sending a squad up the M5 featuring plenty of new signings of their own and it is testament to the environment created by Appleby and her team that they have been able to attract some of rugby’s top names from England and beyond.
“We love it when people get into the Chiefs Shirt for the first time,” added Appleby, who hands first starts to prop DaLeaka Menin and centre Kanako Kobayashi, while fellow newcomers Clara Nielson, Maisy Allen, Brooke Bradley, Caitlin Lewis and Olivia Jones have been named on the bench
“This is a hugely exciting opportunity to see how well the team have come together over the pre-season. Kanako was outstanding after her first outing in the pre-season game against Wasps a couple of weeks ago.
“And it’s really pleasing that people have been seeing what we have been doing and are excited to become a part of it. The challenge is now to blend what was happening already with the continuity we created, the momentum we gained last season, whilst at the same time blending in the new faces that allow us to move forward together.”
With a pool of talented international players, competition for places is fierce at the Chiefs this season, but Appleby has also strengthened amongst her coaching staff, bringing in former club legend Tom Hayes and Duncan McNaughton, who has joined from the Rugby Canada set up, to bolster the Exeter brains trust.
Both have been heavily involved in the pre-season plans, building foundations around a strong set-piece, after which the back division – which has been bolstered with the addition of Scottish international Chloe Rollie this week – can then cut loose in attack.
Experienced forwards Poppy Leitch and Kate Zackary will lead the side into action as co-captains, whilst there is a welcome return to top-flight action for American winger Jennine Duncan, whose season was cut short last term because of a serious hamstring injury.
Leading points-scorer Gabby Cantorna lines up at fly-half for the contest, while England squad members Merryn Doidge and Flo Robinson also start in the back division. Up front, there is plenty of international experience with Sachiko Kato, Emily Tuttosi, Menin, McKinley Hunt and Linde van der Velden joining the likes of Leitch and Zackary.
Tomorrow’s game will be streamed live on the Allianz Premier 15s website.
