Chiefs Women to face Worcester

By Harry Scott-Munro
12/11/21

After victory on the road in the opening round of the Allianz Cup last weekend, Susie Appleby’s Exeter Chiefs Women’s side will be looking to back that performance up within the home comforts of Sandy Park as they take on Worcester Warriors on Sunday (1pm).

Last weekend saw seven debuts, plus a further three players make their first appearances of the season, as the Chiefs battled the conditions, as well as Sale Sharks, to secure a 19-0 victory at Heywood Road.

“We’re really pleased. It was a long journey, and the weather was atrocious, but the girls got stuck in,” said Appleby, laughing as if suddenly taken back to the drenched surroundings of last weekend.

One of the stand-outs from last weekend’s clash was the impact that a number of young guns had on proceedings, particularly Maisy Allen who scored two tries on her first competitive start for the side in a Player of the Day display.

Appleby feels Allen now offers a strong additional option for her side in that position and also praised fellow young guns Nancy McGillivray and Abby Middlebrooke, who both put in faultless displays on their club debuts.

"Maisy was outstanding on her first real start at eight and Nancy (McGillivray) was really impressive at 12,” Appleby explained. “Abby Middlebrooke as well, on a first start for a young player in the front row, she was great too. There were lots of people impressing, which is exactly what this competition is about.”

One of the highlights of the performance was the strength of the Exeter set-piece with Appleby crediting men's forwards coach Rob Hunter for the additional work he has been doing with the squad in the build-up.

“We’ve been working [on our set-piece.] There’s a lot of emphasis on it. Rob Hunter has been supporting us really well. That’s what this club is all about, the big picture approach. There was quite of bit of work that had gone into that, so that’s really pleasing.”

Appleby was also quick to highlight the importance of the set-piece as “the cornerstone” of any performance", believing that it will have to be as strong as it was last weekend to allow her side to express themselves on Sunday against the Warriors.

“If you get that right, it puts you on the front foot from the start and builds confidence, especially for those in the pack," added Appleby. "But Worcester is going to be another challenge. I’m expecting more physicality upfront and more organisation.”

The Warriors have been in fine form this season and beat Saracens 17-0 in their opening Allianz Cup encounter a fortnight ago.

Appleby admitted that there was a lot to like about the Warriors and their approach to the game, praising their ability to bring through young players, as well as the work of coach Liza Burgess.

“Worcester are just a good side. They’ve lost a few to Wales and a couple to England, but they bring others through really well. They’re going to be a threat, so the message to our girls is to look at what we got right [on Saturday,]” expressed Appleby, before highlighting the threat their pack will pose.

“Liza Burgess their coach is an ex-international coach and player. She is very good. I think they will have focused a lot on getting that physicality right. They’ve got some young players, there’s a young number seven in Charlotte Wright-Haley, who has been going really well and is a real thorn in the side of the opposition.”

Ahead of the match, Appleby has made just one personnel change to her starting XV with Garnet Mackinder handed her first start of the season. With Chloe Rollie on international duty with Scotland, Merryn Doidge reverts back to full-back with Mackinder filling the void on the wing. Also included for the first time in the squad is Grace Eckford.

The focus this week for the side has been “game sense” and working on the art of knowing when and where to play on the park. Along with the breakdown, it is something that Appleby is hoping her side are able to harness in their favour come kick-off.

“The game sense is huge for us and the boys. It’s about how you can play in the right areas of the field at the right time and then, when to pull the trigger at the right time when there is an opportunity to play,” she explained. “We want to continue to express ourselves. Last week we probably did that a little too much, so it’s about recognising that and realising we need to chuck it up our jumpers a little bit more and play in the right areas. That, alongside the breakdown, which has been a huge, critical focus all season, has seen more emphasis [this week.]”