By Jack Sanderson
Susie Appleby’s Exeter Chiefs side are preparing for a huge Premiership Women’s Rugby clash, as they take on Gloucester-Hartpury at Sandy Park this Saturday. With the Chiefs six points ahead of this weekend’s opponents, and sitting two places above them at second in the table, the Chiefs would back themselves for a victory in this West Country derby.
However, some sour memories still linger from the end of last year, when the Chiefs agonisingly lost 34-19 against the Cherry and Whites, to hand this weekend’s visitors their first ever Premier 15s title. Appleby will be looking to forget that result, and push her side onto victory when the reigning champions travel down to Devon.
“It is back home at Sandy Park, which is brilliant, because we’ve only played here once in the league so far. It’s only game four, it’s so early in the season. It’s people finding their way with their squads with a few injuries here and there and a few absentees.
“But of course it’s important, you bring a top four side, a team like Gloucester here, of course it’s significant. We’re just excited to get out there really and hopefully add to what we’ve done already”
With Exeter having played just three games this season, and Gloucester-Hartpury playing only two, both sides come into this weekend’s clash with unbeaten records. Susie Appleby doesn’t think this will play a huge factor going into this game, with the season still in it’s early goings.
“Well they’ve only played twice, it’s just too early, I don’t think we really think like that. I mean every point is critical and that’s the message we’ve delivered. It’s bonus points for four tries, it’s bonus points for staying within seven.
“If we can come away with a five pointer here that will be massive because it’s going to get tight later on in the season, but hopefully we can remain unbeaten with another win this weekend at Sandy Park.”
With Gloucester coming to Sandy Park as defending PWR champions, and having started the season so well, the Chiefs will be in for a very difficult task this Saturday. Head coach Appleby knows all too well about the dangers that her opponents will be bringing to Devon.
“We’ve seen more of the same, Sarah Beckett as a powerful carrier, the back three (are) doing their thing, Kelly Smith’s back from an ACL operation, and their 9 and 10 combination is ridiculously good. You know Lleucu George can bang you the length of the field, much like a male player, and Natasha Hunt, you can’t take your eyes off her.
“So that physicality in the pack doesn’t change, and then coupled with everything they’ve got at the backs. So there’s nothing new that we’ve seen, there’s no surprises coming, but they’re very capable of surprises on the day.”
The Chiefs return to Sandy Park for just the second time this season, with the first being a 29-14 win against Bristol Bears on the 26th of September. The atmosphere at Sandy Park is well known across both the men’s and women’s Premiership, and Susie Appleby knows just what that atmosphere can do, to push her players over the line.
“I don’t think you can explain just how important it is for the girls to play in front of their crowds, because they’re not just fans, they’re good friends now, and they follow us around the country. So for them to be able to be at home, and shouting and banging their drums it’s just massive.”
With a lot of focus going into this weekend’s game, the signing of Taz Bricknell from Worcester Warrior’s has gone a little under the radar, but her new manager Appleby was full of praise for the back rower, who unfortunately won’t feature this weekend.
“It’s brilliant you know, Taz and I have worked together before, she was a junior at Hartpury college when I was working up there so I’ve known Taz a long time. She’s a wonderful person and she’s also a really good player. She can play hooker, back row, scrum half, and centre, so you’ve got a really accomplished player there, but also the maturity she’s gained over the years that I’ve known her is phenomenal.”