Garcia reflects on season to remember

By Harry Scott-Munro
20/5/21

She may have played rugby across all four corners of the globe, but Spaniard Patricia Garcia admits it has been privileged to ply her trade for Exeter Chiefs this season.

As one of the international names brought to Sandy Park by head coach Susie Appleby ahead of the club’s inaugural season in the Allianz Premier 15s, Garcia has helped lead from the front as the Devonians created significant waves within the women’s game.

A final day loss to Gloucester-Hartpury meant the Chiefs missed out on a top five finish on points difference, but Garcia’s overriding emotion following was pride in what she and her team-mates have achieved this season.

“At the end of the day, it’s our first season and it’s been a great season for the team,” she beamed. “The staff and the players are so proud of what we’ve achieved.”

The Chiefs went into the final match of the season knowing they would secure fifth place by avoiding a defeat by greater than three points.

In testing conditions, the hosts opened up a half-time advantage through McKinley Hunt’s eighth try of the season, coolly converted by Gabby Cantorna, before the visitors struck back in the second-half, with tries from Zoe Aldcroft and Ellie Underwood, plus eight points from the boot of Emma Sing.

The Chiefs did muster a well-worked score of their own through Merryn Doidge, set up by Garcia, but it was not quite enough to hold onto that top-half finish.

Reflecting on the match, Garcia admitted to being “disappointed to have lost,” explaining just how much the horrendous conditions had challenged both sets of players, after several weeks of glorious weather, with the conditions dictating a match dominated by the boot.

“We’re disappointed to have lost that one, especially in the second half,” she said. “We studied how to play, the game plan and how to play the conditions. The last couple of weeks, we’ve had lovely weather in Devon, but it wasn’t to be. We needed to kick a lot, but our chase was incredible. The defence was good as well and a great effort with that but, hopefully, next season we can be a bit better.”

Although normally a scrum-half, Garcia has performed admirably since filling in at fly-half for the injured Taylor Black. Indeed, kicked assists have become something of a specialty for Garcia at Sandy Park this season, setting up scores for Garnet Mackinder and Laura Sheehan in a similar fashion against Sale Sharks and Loughborough Lightning respectively.

Despite the disappointment of being pipped to a fifth-place finish, Garcia was open in her pride at what her and her team-mates had achieved.

“I’m very proud of the team and everyone sticking together and everyone involved in the club should be proud of what we’ve done in this first season.”

With 10 victories this season, the Chiefs have shocked many people with their performances. The challenge now is to recuperate and come back even stronger next season, Garcia admitting that she and Appleby’s other international stars were looking forward to being able to go home and see their families.

“Now we need to rest mentally and physically. The international players haven’t been home to see their families for a while, so we all need to go back and get ready for next season where we need to start strong. I can’t wait for next season and hopefully it will be even better.”

In a season like no other, against the backdrop of empty stadiums, Garcia has still been thrilled by the support her side have received this season. With the home match against Sale Sharks in December being the only opportunity Chiefs fans have had to watch the women’s team live this year, Garcia hopes to see as many faces as possible in the stands to cheer her side on when the new season gets underway in September.

“Thank you to all of the supporters this year,” she said. “Hopefully, next season, we can see you back at Sandy Park when we’re back on the field.”