Chiefs Women to face Harlequins
By Harry Scott-Munro
22/4/22
When Susie Appleby took charge at Sandy Park, she stated that her aim was to win trophies.
Now, some 561 days after their first competitive match, her Exeter Chiefs Women’s side have an opportunity to do just that, when they take on familiar foes Harlequins in the Allianz Cup Final tomorrow at Sandy Park (3pm).
In many ways, there’s a perfect symmetry to it all. The men’s side showed that they had arrived at the elite level of the English game back in 2014, when they secured the LV= Cup on home soil. Now, some eight years later, the women’s side have their chance to do the same and prove that they have arrived on the biggest of stages in front of an expectant home crowd.
“It’s very exciting,” beamed Appleby. “The girls are raring to go. It’s been a long time since we kicked this competition off but for us, it’s our first-ever Cup final, which is huge. We’re in our second season and now in our first final. It’s the first time this Cup has ever been played, so there’s lots of firsts. But for us, it has to be about the next job in front of us.”
For Appleby to describe the occasion as ‘very exciting,’ is perhaps still slightly downplaying just how big a moment this is for women’s rugby in the region.
Last weekend’s semi-final against Westcountry rivals Bristol Bears was played in front of a crowd of nearly 1,200, with Appleby praising their contribution to her side and calling for as many fans as possible to get behind her side tomorrow.
“The crowd were immense last week. The noise they made was something else. The girls loved it and the crowd loved it. That’s what you play for. Playing at Sandy Park is such a big factor. I believe there are quite a few coming on Saturday, but I’d encourage even more to come. It should be a decent game.”
Whilst the Chiefs eventually ran out comprehensive 66-0 victors over the Bears, they were made to work hard for their opportunities, before eventually cutting loose just after the hour mark.
“That scoreline didn’t show what Bristol came with. It was fairly close up to 60 minutes and then we ran away with it. That’s what happens in this game,” highlighted Appleby. “You grind it out and then it’s about which side can put the throttle down and go on to win it. I’m hoping for more of the same. Our defence was brilliant, but I want our attack to get going from the off as well.”
That performance from the Chiefs was aided by a trademark Kate Zackary try after just two minutes. The co-captain has now scored 19 tries for the club, whilst one more try will see her hit a century of points in a Chiefs shirt.
Zackary missed the opening two pool fixtures with international commitments, but her experience of big matches is something Appleby will be looking to ahead of kick-off this weekend.
“It’s a mixture of new and old for us. Kate Zackary will never forgive me for saying that, but that experience she has is absolutely key! You can’t play in a Cup final without some experienced heads. We’ve never played in a final, whereas Quins have been in loads. They’ve been in every final since the league started. That brings pressure from the off, but we’re ready to embrace it.”
Appleby is all too aware of the ability that tomorrow’s opponents have in their armoury. Harlequins are the current league champions and are seasoned campaigners when it comes to knockout rugby and finals.
Whilst Quins needed a last-minute Beth Blacklock penalty to edge past Worcester in their semi-final last Saturday, Appleby was quick to praise the ability of the Londoners and challenged her side to embrace the intensity of the final.
“They have an incredibly powerful back and then a very good backline. They’ve got amazing players like Emily Scott and Lagi Tuima. There’s quality everywhere,” Appleby stated. “We don’t know what we’ll be facing as we don’t know who has been selected in the 23 for England. That’s also quite exciting. But that doesn’t matter. Harlequins are in front of us, and they are the side blocking the path to that trophy. That’s the message.”
Whilst the experienced heads have boosted Appleby’s side in the competition, it is the young guns who have impressed the Head Coach. Flanker Maisy Allen put in a player of the match performance on her return to the side last weekend and Appleby has been thrilled to see her whole squad giving it their all, whenever they have had an opportunity to pull on the shirt.
“Maisy Allen was outstanding last week. She’d been away captaining England U20s then came back in and showed exactly the same form. We’ve got young players with her; Nancy and Flo who have been absolutely outstanding. Yes, some of them are in and out of the first team but they’re really consolidating their positions in this Cup. They've all had opportunities on this journey."
Ahead of the final, Appleby has made several alterations to the side that dismantled the Bears, although just two come in the starting XV, where Scotland international Eilidh Sinclair starts on the wing in place of Olivia Jones and Patricia Garcia, after passing a century of points for the Chiefs last weekend, starts at fly-half.
On the bench, Appleby’s chargers are further bolstered by the return of their Canadian contingent, with Emily Tuttosi, Daleaka Menin, McKinley Hunt and Gabby Senft all set to feature.
As is always the case, Appleby insists that the focus remains very much on her own side and their own performance, as she explained how she had tried to remove the pressure for her side ahead of kick-off.
“We’re raring to go on Saturday, but we know that we’re facing a very good side in Quins. It could go either way, so hopefully it goes our way! I’ve told the girls to try and forget that it’s a cup final and focus on ourselves. When we do what we do, we’re brilliant at it.”
The Head Coach though, was at pains to highlight just how momentous an occasion the final was for the club.
“It’s huge. Win or lose, Exeter Chiefs Women are in a final for the first time, in Devon and in front of a home crowd. We hope we come out on the right side of the result but it’s just immense.”
