Kingsholm changed to ‘Queensholm’ for Saturday’s Premier 15s final – Gloucester-Hartpury vs Exeter Chiefs (3.30pm); both Exeter and Gloucester-Hartpury seek first Premier 15s title; hear from Exeter coach Susie Appleby and Gloucester-Hartpury captain Mo Hunt
Last Updated: 23/06/23 12:43pm
Kingsholm has changed to ‘Queensholm’ for Saturday’s Premier 15s final between Gloucester-Hartpury and Exeter Chiefs
Exeter Chiefs coach Susie Appleby says her squad are ‘ready for history’ while Gloucester-Hartpury captain Natasha Hunt applauded the change to ‘Queensholm’ for Saturday’s Premier 15s final.
Gloucester-Hartpury and Exeter Chiefs face off and Kingsholm – the home stadium of Gloucester – has adopted the name ‘Queensholm’ as the host for the showpiece fixture.
With some 10,000 fans expected at the final, and both clubs looking for a first women’s league title, it’s sure to be an immense occasion.
Both Gloucester-Hartpury and Exeter Chiefs seek the first Premier 15s titles in their histories this weekend
Appleby: Exeter ready to embrace chance to make history
Exeter Chiefs are seek a first Premier 15s title, having seen off defending champions Saracens in the semi-finals.
Head coach Susie Appleby says her squad are ready to make history.
Exeter suffered a heavy defeat in last year’s final to Saracens in Worcester, and though they are having to face West Country rivals Gloucester-Hartpury [Appleby’s old team] on the latter’s home turf this year, history-making is on Exeter players’ minds.
“History-making is kind of what we’ve been about from the off,” head coach Appleby said this week.
“Anything that we do around here is kind of a first – and the girls really embrace that, as do the staff.
Exeter head coach Susie Appleby says her players and staff are focused on making history
“It makes me really happy that the side that I got going however many years ago up there [Gloucester-Hartpury] is doing really well. I still know a lot of the players, a lot of the staff, Sean Lynn’s a fantastic bloke and he’s doing really well.
“But what makes me really happy is we’re doing well, they’re doing well, the top two teams are in the final and it doesn’t always happen that way. This league is the best in the world.
“We learned some things about their style of play [during the season], so it was a valuable experience, probably an important win for us.
“We only played them recently, but it doesn’t really matter what’s gone before, the main thing is the big focus on the final.”
Exeter beat defending champions Saracens at Sandy Park in their semi-final
Hunt: Kingsholm to Queensholm changeover is amazing; it means so much
With ticket sales over double the previous record set for an Premier 15s final, ‘Queensholm’ is guaranteed to make history on Saturday.
There are predicted to be nearly a record 10,000 fans at the final on Saturday
While Exeter are looking to avenge last season’s final defeat, Gloucester-Hartpury are appearing in their first Premier 15s decider, with their previous best performance being reaching the semi-final stage in 2018.
Gloucester-Hartpury co-captain Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt characterised the feeling among players for the changeover.
“It’s amazing,” Hunt said.
“It’s a dream to run out to a packed Kingsholm in cherry and white. The fact that we’re now doing that at ‘Queensholm’, in honour of the final that we’ve fought so hard to get to…it’s means so much.
Gloucester-Hartpury co-captain Mo Hunt, standing alongside Zoe Aldcroft, called the name change to Queensholm ‘amazing’ and ‘a dream’
“I am so unbelievably proud to wear this shirt and all it represents, from the staff that go above and beyond and are always so welcoming, to the unreal supporters and people of Gloucester.
“It’s going to be an insane occasion and I’m so excited to be out there with the girls. We will do everything we can to make everyone proud on Saturday.”
Team News
Gloucester-Hartpury: 15 Emma Sing, 14 Ellie Rugman, 13 Rachel Lund, 12 Tatyana Heard, 11 Mia Venner, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt (cc); 1 Maud Muir, 2 Kelsey Jones, 3 Laura Delgado, 4 Sam Monaghan, 5 Zoe Aldcroft (cc), 6 Alex Matthews, 7 Bethan Lewis, 8 Sarah Beckett.
Replacements: 16 Connie Powell, 17 Kathryn Buggy, 18 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 19 Maya Learned, 20 Neve Jones, 21 Bianca Blackburn, 22 Sophie Bridger, 23 Lisa Neumann.
Exeter: 15 Merryn Doidge, 14 Eilidh Sinclair, 13 Kate Zackary, 12 Gabby Cantorna, 11 Claudia MacDonald, 10 Liv McGoverne, 9 Flo Robinson; 1 Hope Rogers, 2 Emily Tuttosi, 3 Daleaka Menin, 4 Nichola Fryday, 5 Poppy Leitch (c), 6 Edel McMahon, 7 Maisy Allen, 8 Rachel Johnson.
Replacements: 16 Cliodhna Moloney, 17 Silvia Turani, 18 Charli Jacoby, 19 Abbie Fleming, 20 Ebony Jeffries, 21 Mairi McDonald, 22 Robyn Wilkins, 23 Katie Buchanan.
