Team news: Buchanan back for trip to Sale

Winger Katie Buchanan returns to the team sheet for Exeter Chiefs Women’s trip to Sale for the seventh round of the PWR.

The 21-year-old has not featured in the PWR so far this season having sustained a wrist injury in training but has been declared fit to travel to the CorpAcq Stadium for Sunday’s game (KO 12:00).

Other changes to the match-day squad see Gabby Cantorna get a start at inside centre, along a refreshed front row of Mikiela Nelson, Clara Nielson and Charli Jacoby, plus hooker Clara Nielson. Additionally, Niamh Orchard will begin the game at No 8. Merryn Doidge returns at full-back after being away with GB sevens training.

That means there has been a re-shuffle on the bench with Flo Long, Kate Smith and Kanako Kobayashi getting their opportunity this weekend following a rest week for the entire league.

Assistant coach Steve Salvin said: “We had a week off at a really good time and now we are back into game-mode for Sale and then it’s our bye week, which will give us another week for some injured players to get back fit and available. The breaks are great for recovery, but you do a lose a bit of continuity; you just have to get on with it.

“It shows the strength of our squad that we are still able to put out a phenomenal pack this week. We recruited a strong squad exactly for this reason. Selection has become easy because there are less people to choose from, but we still have an outstanding team, including Katie.

“Katie is a great character and is great around the girls, but you see less of them when they are rehabbing. She is a hugely talented player and will add value on the wing. We are expecting a full throttle Premiership battle this weekend.”

Exeter Chiefs Women go into the weekend as the only unbeaten side in the PWR. Emily Robinson and Poppy Leitch continue to lead the league for successful tackles this season, having made 84 and 80 respectively, while Cliodhna Moloney won the joint-most turnovers in the last round with four.

Meanwhile, Liv McGoverne has made 66 kicks in play so far this season and is the only player who has made more than 2,000 kick-in-play metres. Flo Robinson has also made the most passes in the PWR with 355.

Sunday’s game will be broadcast live on Global YO. Supporters will need to download the app and create a free account. The live stream will be available on the home page on the app.

Exeter Chiefs Women

15 Merryn Doidge
14 Sabrina Poulin
13 Nancy McGillivray
12 Gabby Cantorna
11 Katie Buchanan
10 Liv McGoverne
9 Flo Robinson (vc)
1 Mikiela Nelson
2 Clara Nielson
3 Charli Jacoby
4 Poppy Leitch (c)
5 Dorothy Wall
6 Ebony Jefferies
7 Emily Robinson
8 Niamh Orchard

16 Cliodhna Moloney
17 Demi Swann
18 Flo Long
19 Kate Smith
20 Eilidh Sinclair
21 Lucy Nye
22 Taylor Perry
23 Kanako Kobayashi