Chiefs Women to face Wasps Women

By Mark Stevens
20/8/21

Susie Appleby says she and her Exeter Chiefs Women’s team are ‘excited’ about getting their 2021/22 campaign up and running tomorrow with a pre-season friendly against Wasps Women at Sandy Park (2pm).

After weeks of behind-the-scenes toil on the training field and in the gym, the Chiefs will look to use this weekend’s work-out as the ideal foundation for them to build into the new Allianz Premier 15s season.

The Chiefs, along with Sale Sharks Women, were the two new sides added to the top flight of the women’s game last season - and they didn’t disappoint, finishing a hugely creditable sixth place and claiming at least a win against the top four clubs, including eventual champions Harlequins Women.

Now, a year on from their launch, Appleby is looking to the future and with a settled squad, aided by a handful of new faces this summer, she hopes to kick on in the coming weeks and months.

“It’s certainly a lot different to this time last year,” she laughs. “A year ago, we were scrabbling around looking for players and just trying to get things in place so that we could play a game of rugby. This year, it’s still a bit manic, but we definitely in a much stronger position now.

“The majority of the squad are here - we’re still waiting on a few who are still in international camps and some who are returning from injury - but we’re looking good and training so far has gone very well for us. Obviously, this weekend will be a good opportunity to test where we are, see what the opposition are like, and generally get a few things in place for the season.”

As well as new faces in the playing ranks, Appleby will have a new deputy alongside her in the form of former Chiefs skipper Tom Hayes. The popular and experienced Irishman has returned to the Westcountry this summer and has quickly settled back into life at Sandy Park.

“Tom’s been brilliant since he walked into the place,” added Appleby. “He’s been working with the forwards, putting them through their paces and just instilling his knowledge into them. Now, we’ll be looking to use this weekend’s game as a chance to see some of those processes in work, after which we can look at them and tweak bits and pieces before we go to Bristol in our first league game.”

Although tomorrow’s squad will have a largely familiar feel to it, Appleby does hand debuts to newcomers Olivia Jones, Kanako Kobayashi and Clara Nielson, whilst there are also first starts for both Caitlin Lewis and Maisy Allen.

The bench also includes a number of new faces, all of whom will be keen to impress the Chiefs coaching staff ahead of the new season.

Supporters can still obtain FREE tickets for tomorrow’s game by clicking here - or you will be able to watch the game live via the Exeter Chiefs You Tube channel.