The journey continues for Van der Velden
By Harry Scott-Munro
3/6/22
Exeter Chiefs Women have come a long way since their first friendly match against Newcastle Falcons.
For Dutch second-row Linde van der Velden, she has been with the side since that very first match and admits that for her ‘being able to do this means more.’
It’s been quite the journey for the Chiefs Women in a very small space of time. Whilst the men’s side grew from little Chiefs to big Chiefs to champions all those years ago, van der Velden and her team-mates are hoping to complete their own fairytale in the Allianz Premier15s final against Saracens today (3pm).
She and her team-mates though, are refusing to get ahead of themselves before the whistle is blown and know full well the threat that Saracens will pose.
“Every game we’ve played so far, we look to treat the same. It was the same for the cup final and it’s the same now. They have some very big threats that we are aware of. We know that they will look to jackal on our ball. We’ve had a close look at them, but we’ve also seen some things from our game against Bristol that we know we can improve.”
Van der Velden though, insists that her side ‘have a really good shot,’ as long as they stick to their processes.
“We know their threats, but we need to focus on what we do really well. I think we have a very good chance if we play like we know that we can. That’s what we’re going to do, and we’ll see what the result is like at the end.”
Having previously played her rugby in France and her native Netherlands, van der Velden acknowledged that the strength of the league in England was one of the major factors in her decision to join the Chiefs.
“It’s not as professional as it is over here. I saw the premiership and thought it was a better place to test myself,” she explained. “Once I’d met Susie and played in one of the warm-up games, I knew this would be the better environment for me.”
Van der Velden also highlighted the role that Head Coach Susie Appleby has had on the journey that the side have been on, crediting her influence on her initial decision to move to Devon, as well as the progress of the side since.
“Susie was the one I had spoken to since the start and she was the one who sold it to me. Coming over and meeting everyone and the staff was huge as well. I’m very happy I made that decision. Susie can get us really excited for the game but also can be very clear on what we need to change. That clarity of good communication is such an important thing for a coach to have.”
That clarity of communication both on and off the field was evident in the dying moments of what was a pulsating semi-final against Bristol Bears. After van der Velden and Hope Rogers had scored to put the Chiefs into a commanding lead, Bristol hit back to hit the front, before a late Jennine Detiveaux try and a huge defensive shift at the death sealed the win.
Whilst for many, the Chiefs may be seen as the underdogs heading into the final, it is a tag that van der Velden and her teammates are more than happy to take on.
“We don’t mind being the underdog. We were in that position last season, and we managed to hit top six. At the end of the day, we want to play a good game for the Chiefs fans and Chiefs family.”
Today presents an opportunity for the Chiefs to secure an unprecedented league and cup double. After securing the Allianz Cup in front of a vocal home crowd, van der Velden admitted that support for the team had gone through the roof.
“Everyone is very excited and when I’ve gone to the supermarket, people have been stopping to congratulate us, so it’s definitely a big thing. From when we played the cup final at home, it became quite big, with so many coming along. If we go to town, we are now being recognised which is super cool.”
That victory over Harlequins in the Allianz Cup final gave the Chiefs their first taste of finals rugby and first silverware as a side. Van der Velden feels that the number of players who got valuable minutes in the competition has been crucial in building momentum as the Premier15s final has honed into view.
“Some people might say that it’s just the cup, but for us it really meant something. It’s the first silverware that we’ve won, and it was a great moment to share at home with the fans. It was the step towards the final and a way of getting that momentum,” she smiled. “A lot of people have said that we had a lot of people stay here for the cup, but there were other times in the cup that we lost those players and others stepped up. It shows the depth in our squad and that’s why it meant a lot.”
Saracens though, will provide the sternest of tests at Sixways this afternoon. Whilst the Chiefs brushed the Londoners aside at Sandy Park a few weeks ago, van der Velden is expecting a ferocious battle.
“With the last result, we know that there were some big threats missing. Of course, we were really happy with that result, but we’re not looking at it and expecting something similar this time. We’re just looking to treat this as a normal game.”