Exeter Chiefs vs Gloucester-Hartpury
Kickoff: 3pm, Saturday 1st November
Venue: Sandy Park
Watch on: BBC iPlayer
Gloucester-Hartpury will resume their campaign on Saturday afternoon against the Exeter Chiefs. This looks set to be a clash of massive packs that are primed for a titanic clash. Rogers, Moloney-MacDonald and Rule make up an all-international front row which will take on a unit led by Maud Muir. Hatpury's real strength is their back five in which Irish star Sam Monaghan is joined by 3 Red Roses in Zoe Stratford, Sarah Beckett and Alex Mathews. Maddie Feaunati will have a tough job on her hands trying to contain those stars. Exeter's depth has also allowed them to stash DaLeaka Menin and Emily Tuttosi on the bench in order to gain an advantage in the final minutes.
Gloucester-Hartpury's power continues into the midfield with a duo of Shekells and Heard, who are both more comfortable at 12. Out wide. Metcalfe, Venner and Sing are one of the most dangerous back 3 units in the league and will not be short of opportunities if recent games are anything to go by. Alex Tessier will have to counteract that from fullback for Exeter with her reliable kicking game.
Team news
Exeter Chiefs
Starting XV
1.Hope Rogers 2.Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald 3.Amy Rule 4.Linde Van der Velden 5.Emily Robinson(C)
6.Gabriella Nigrelli 7.Maisy Allen 8.Maddie Feaunati 9.Flo Robinson 10.Liv McGoverne
11.Claudia Moloney-MacDonald 12.Gabby Cantorna 13.Nancy McGillivray 14.Katie Buchanan 15.Alex Tessier
Bench
16.Emily Tuttosi 17.Demi Swann 18.DaLeaka Menin 19.Abby Duguid
20.Zoe Dare 21.Lucy Nye 22.Merryn Elworthy 23.Sabrina Poulin
Gloucester-Hartpury
Starting XV
1.El Perry 2.Kelsey Jones 3.Maud Muir 4.Sam Monaghan 5.Sarah Beckett
6.Zoe Stratford(CC) 7.Georgia Brock 8.Alex Mathews 9.Natasha Hunt 10.Lleucu George
11.Nel Metcalfe 12.Tatyana Heard 13.Jade Shekells 14.Mia Venner 15.Emma Sing
Bench
16.Neve Jones 17.Rahni Samuda 18.Sisilia Tuipulotu 19.Kate Williams
20.Bethan Lewis 21.Meg Davies 22.Lizzie Goulden 23.Hannah Dallavalle
Predicted winner: Gloucester-Hartpury
Leicester Tigers vs Bristol Bears
Kickoff: 1pm, Sunday 2nd November
Venue: Mattioli Woods, Welford Road
Watch on: Youtube
This looks like another tough game for Leicester after a demoralising defeat to Sale, who finished bottom of the league last season. Bristol made the playoffs in that campaign but are still having to cope without the likes of Holly Aitchison.
Leicester will have to maintain parity up front with their pack in order to give their stars a chance with a level playing field. The American duo of Kristin Bitter and Tess Feury will have to manage the game well and dominate the territory battle up against the less experienced Lucie Skuse. Emma Orr will also have something to say about the goings on amongst the backs and is already a competitor for the title of top try-scorer in the league.
Team news
Leicester Tigers
Starting XV
1.Danielle Allen Solly 2.Micke Gunter 3.Nadine Vintcent 4.Leah Heath 5.Ali Coleman
6.Alicia Watkins 7.Morgan Richardson 8.Tiana Gordon 9.Jenny Maxwell(C) 10.kristin Bitter
11.Zoe Evans 12.Georgie Lingham 13.Emily Henrich 14.Grace Deane 15.Tess Feury
Bench
16.Alana Bainbridge 17.Ellie Smith 18.Lauren Poole 19.Olvia Tallon
20.Jordan Russell 21.Eneka Labeyrie 22.Amelie Anstead 23.Karolina Kacirkova
Bristol Bears
Starting XV
1.Simi Pam 2.Holly Phillps 3.Aisha Jah 4.Natalia John 5.Delaney Burns
6.Demelza Short 7.Jenny Herring 8.Evie Gallagher 9.Keira Bevan 10.Lucie Skuse
11.Millie David 12.Phoebe Murray 13.Emma Orr 14.Reneeqa Bonner 15.Ella Lovibond
Bench
16.Amy Dale 17.Maisie Davies 18.Sarah Bern 19.Abbie Ward
20.Hollie Cunningham 21.Rhea Clarke 22.Natalee Evans 23.Jenny Hesketh
Predicted winner: Bristol Bears
Loughborough Lightning vs Sale Sharks
Kickoff: 1pm Sunday, 2nd November
Venue: Cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens
Watch on: Youtube
This is a fascinating match. Sale finished in last place in the 2024/25 season but have since had an infusion of talent. Loughborough had a mediocre season and have since had a massive amount of turnover within the squad. They are aiming to push for the playoffs but lost their opening game to Harlequins due to a very leaky defence. They'll hope to see more cohesion as the season goes on. For Sale, this will be the first start for Holly Aitchison who looked good when she came off the bench last weekend.
Sadia Kabeya was the best player on the pitch for Loughborough last week and showed that there is a gulf between her level of physicality and the level of the average PWR player. Next to Kabeya, Luti also impressed at no.8 at just 18-years-old and looks set to continue her form. Loughborough will still look to bring their expansive style of play to this game with their wing threats of Mataitoga and Westcombe-Evans. This game will be about testing Sale's physicality and their stamina to compete for 80 minutes.
Sale will want to turn this into a more physical game with a pack that includes Amy Cokayne and Morwenna Talling. If Holly Aitchison can kick well in open play, Sale will look to use their set piece to work their way into the contest. The fly-half battle between Scotland's Helen Nelson and England's Holly Aitchison will be crucial to the outcome of this game.
Team news
Loughborough Lightning
Starting XV
1.Anne Young 2.Lucy Calladine 3.Mae Sagapolu 4.Becky Boyd 5.Lilli Ives Campion
6.Daisy Hibber-Jones(C) 7.Sadia Kabeya 8.Haineala Luti 9.Leia Brebner-Holden 10.Helen Nelson
11.Bo Westcombe-Evans 12.Carmela Morrall 13.Alev Kelter 14.Bulou Mataitoga 15.Lia Green
Bench
16.Kathryn Treder 17.Amelia Williams 18.Christian Belisle 19.Rachel Ehrecke
20.Tahlia Broady 21.Kendall Waudby 22.Alicia Maude 23.Ellen Scantlebury
Sale Sharks
Starting XV
1.Leah Bartlett 2.Amy Cokayne 3.Nick James 4.Iona Antwis 5.Morwenna Talling
6.Eva Donaldson 7.Katie Childs 8.Sharifa Kasolo 9.Amy Relf 10.Holly Aitchison
11.Holly Thorpe 12.Katana Howard 13.Evie Wills 14.Rhona Lloyd 15.Lizzie Duffy
Bench
16.Scarlett Fielding 17.Tysh harper 18.Sophie Benavent 19.Charlotte Fray
20.trudy Cowan 21.Olivia Ortiz 22.Laura Perrin 23.Alba Capell
Predicted winner: Loughborough Lightning
Saracens vs Harlequins
Kickoff: 3pm, Sunday 2nd November
Venue: StoneX Stadium
Watch on: TNT Sports 1
The game of the weekend has been given the best slot on Sunday afternoon live on TNT Sports. These London rivals always produce great matches and last played in the 2024/25 PWR semi-final in which Saracens came out on top. This game will be about Saracens looking to bully Harlequins up front in order to create space for Zoe Harrison to unleash the likes of Breach and Corrigan. Harlequins, meanwhile, will need to keep the game at a high pace and create opportunities for Kildunne and Pena to get on the ball.
Team news
Saracens
Starting XV
1.Kelsey Clifford 2.May Campbell(C) 3.Donna Rose 4.Laetitia Royer 5.Poppy Cleall
6.Julia Omokhuale 7.Marlie Packer 8.Sophie de Goede 9.Olivia Appa 10.Zoe Harrison(C)
11.Alysha Corrigan 12.Beth Blacklock 13.Sydney Gregson 14.Jess Breach 15.Jemma-Jo Linkins
Bench
16.Bryony Field 17.Akina Gondwe 18.Carmen Tremelling 19.Rosie Galligan
20.Georgia Evans 21.Tori Sellors 22.Amelia McDougall 23.Paige Farries
Harlequins
Starting XV
1.Silvia Turani 2.Connie Powell 3.Lizzie Hanlon 4.Fi McIntosh 5.Abbie Fleming
6.Nicole Wythe 7.Sara Svoboda 8.Jade Konkel 9.Lucy Packer 10.Lagi Tuima
11.Beth Wilcock 12.Sarah Parry 13.Claudia Pena 14.katie Shillacker 15.Ellie Kildunne
Bench
16.Carys Phillips 17.Hannah Sims 18.Laura Delgado 19.Tyla Shirley
20.Liana Mikaele=Tu'u 21.Lucy Burgess 22.Ella Cromack 23.Kayleigh Powell
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