Gloucester-Hartpury and Saracens dig deep to set up PWR final

Gloucester-Hartpury co-captain Zoe Aldcroft backed her three-peat chasing teammates to “rise to the occasion” as she looked ahead to a third successive Premiership Women’s Rugby final, at Saracens on March 16.

Aldcroft was named player of the match at Queensholm on Sunday after helping Gloucester-Hartpury to recover from going 10-0 down against Bristol Bears to win 36-20 in front of 6,702 fans and prolong head coach Sean Lynn’s reign for another fortnight.

Saracens stand between the Circus and a third successive top-flight title, a feat that hasn’t been achieved since Richmond completed a hat-trick of Women’s Premiership wins 13 years ago.

The Londoners booked their place in the final, to be played at their home ground StoneX Stadium, with a 32-24 victory against cross-city rivals Harlequins at same venue on Saturday.

Asked for her thoughts on the prospect of facing Saracens in a fortnight, Aldcroft said: “We love these championship games, we really rise to the occasion so we’re super excited.”

Gloucester-Hartpury finished the regular season top of the table, 15 points ahead of the visiting Bears but that form counted for little in an electric opening 25 minutes.

Bristol struck twice in that time, Lark Atkin-Davies profiting from two driving mauls, to build a 10-point lead but the Circus stormed back in the closing 15 minutes of the half.

Ellena Perry, Sarah Beckett and Emma Sing each crossed the whitewash, with the latter adding two conversions, to give her side a 19-10 lead going into the break.

Ilona Maher narrowed the Bristol deficit to four points early in the second half but tries from Aldcroft and Hannah Jones, either side of a Millie David effort, put the hosts firmly in control before Sing added a late penalty to take her personal tally to 16 points.

“We didn’t play our best rugby and I think that’s knockout rugby all over,” Gloucester-Hartpury co-captain Natasha Hunt said.

“There was a lot we left out there today but I’m just so proud that we’ve given ourselves a shot at it. We deserve it, the group deserves it… yeah, I’m just buzzing.”

Hunt revealed after the match that Lynn was reluctant to give the players his usual pre-match speech in what was his final home match as head coach.

Victory means he will have to give one more team talk before he depart the Circus for the Wales job following the final at StoneX Stadium.

“The girls were in tears about [Lynn’s speech] because he really does inspire us,” Hunt said.

“Everyone adores him, there’s so much love for him. He really does care for us and I think that shines through in the way that he coaches.”

Lynn admitted the StoneX Stadium is “a tough place to go” as Gloucester-Hartpury prepare to meet Saracens in the showpiece match for the first time.

Alex Austerberry’s side were required to dig deep themselves as they booked their passage to the final on Saturday.

Tries from Claudia Pena and Ellie Kildunne helped give Quins a 12-8 lead with 15 minutes played in Barnet, but from that moment on the hosts took control.

Jess Breach and Marlie Packer added to Alysha Corrigan’s earlier try to give their side a 20-12 lead at half-time.

Lauren Torley briefly gave the visitors hope, her try cutting Saracens’ lead to three points but tries from Corrigan and May Campbell put the result beyond doubt before Babalwa Latsha got a late consolation for Quins.

It means Saracens – champions three times in the first four seasons of the revamped Premier 15s/PWR competition – will make their first final appearance in three years later this month.