Team to take on Worcester Warriors Women in Allianz Cup Opener

New-look team for first Exeter Chiefs Women’s fixture

Exeter Chiefs Women’s head coach Susie Appleby has revealed a new-look side for their first game of the 2023/24 season.

Appleby has selected four Chiefs debutants for their opening Allianz Cup game against Warriors Women with Lottie Dadds, Harriet Miller-Mills, Olivia Ortiz and Felicity Powdrell all due to make their first starts in Exeter colours.

Fly-half Dadds is an Exeter University product and co-captained the women’s 1st XV in the BUCS National League Final last season, while Ortiz is a fully fledged USA Eagle with 16 caps to her name at scrum-half. Lock Miller-Mills is a 66-times capped England international who used to play for Wasps and Lichfield. Lastly, centre Powdrell is an English qualified New Zealander with bags of club experience.

Fellow newbies Sammie Harris, Eloise Hayward, Josie Plant, Hannah Sams and Kate Smith will be hoping they get their chance from the bench.

Appleby said: “It’s an exciting time for the club as we welcome nine new players into the squad for our first game. Particularly pleasing to have Lottie starting at fly-half and Niamh at 8; both have really impressed in pre-season and were outstanding for Exeter University last season.

“Hannah and Josie have come through Exeter College and the Centre of Excellence. These are examples of the great work Poppy Leitch is doing at the University, and Eilidh Sinclair and Abby Middlebrooke at the College. The vision we had for Chiefs Women and the pathway is becoming a reality.

“Harriet (Millar-Mills) is a fantastic addition to our squad. She has returned from her season out in the USA with a renewed enthusiasm for the game and will bring power and pace in abundance. Olivia is a pocket rocket ready to explode on to the field. Kate has grown through pre-season, she’s deceptively quick and has good skills which will complement the rest of the back five.

“Eloise has returned from rugby league and brings experience to a relatively young squad, and Sammie is a product of the highly successful Devon County programme. We can’t wait to see how the young squad fares on Friday. Felicity has joined us from NZ. She is a lovely player with great skills.”

After wrapping up the 2023/24 season at the end of June, the women’s squad has had a relatively short but productive pre-season, and head back into the Allianz Cup as reigning champions. Chiefs are missing several players on international duty, not least the Red Roses and Canada Women squad members who are due to play at Sandy Park on Saturday.

Warriors Women ended up in sixth position in the Premier 15s despite the turmoil that spelled the demise of the Worcester Warriors Premiership club. They also finished mid-table in their pool for the Allianz Cup.

Appleby added: “Worcester are a very good squad who are very physical but also have a lot of pace in their backs. Ellie Green is a shrewd operator at 10, they are well coached and have spent the last few years bringing through some very talented local players. It’s always tough up at Sixways, we are looking forward to the challenge.”

Exeter Chiefs Women kick-off at 7.30pm tomorrow night at Sixways Stadium. Their first home game is against Bristol Bears next Sunday, October 1 – KO 3pm.

Exeter Chiefs Women:

15 Merryn Doidge (vc)
14 Eilidh Sinclair
13 Felicity Powdrell
12 Sophie Langford
11 Jodie Ounsley
10 Lottie Dadds
9 Olivia Ortiz
1 Abby Middlebrooke
2 Cliodhna Moloney
3 Lizzie Hanlon
4 Nichola Fryday
5 Harriet Millar-Mills
6 Ebony Jefferies
7 Poppy Leith (c)
8 Niamh Orchard

16 Clara Nielson
17 Panashe Muzambe
18 Hannah Sams
19 Kate Smith
20 Josie Plant
21 Eloise Hayward
22 Danielle Preece
23 Sammie Harris