PWR: Loughborough 24 – 62 Saracens - Sydney Gregson's five-try haul strikes on Lightning

Saracens dominated the midlands side with ten tries, with the wolf pack’s centre Sydney Gregson scoring a stunning five, with wing Paige Farries also bagging herself a hat trick.

There was a lightning start from Loughborough, with an immediate attack on the Saracens defence. None other than their red rose superstar Sadia Kabeya pushed over the line and opening the score.

The first ten minutes saw Saracens with little ball and on the defence, taking until the 12^th minute to make their first trip to the Loughborough 22. However, in typical Saracens fashion, they executed well, with Paige Farries getting over the try line and with Zoe Harrison adding the extras levelling the score.

Loughborough Lightning launched another attack on the Saracens defence, and once again Sadia Kabeya flew over the line for the second time, giving Lightning the lead once again. A great passage of play from Saracens, lead to Liz Crake getting her first try of the game and her fourth of the campaign, and with Zoe Harrison once again successfully converting the score was now back even and the momentum very much in the visitors' hands.

With just over 30 minutes played, Saracens took the lead for the first time with Canadian international Julia Omokhuale powering over the line.

Saracens started the second half much like the ended the first, with Sydney Gregson getting the visitors their fourth try of the game. This secured the try scoring bonus point, while also having increased the lead to 12 points.

The visitors launch yet another lethal attack on the Loughborough Lightning defence, with Sydney Gregson bagging her second try of the game less than ten minutes after her first. Paige Farries, who opened the scoring for the wolf pack, added a second try to her tally and Saracens assert their dominance further over the home side.

With 20 minutes left to play the flood gates opened for the home side with Gregson earning herself a hattrick as Harrison added the extras - the points deficit grew to 31 points. Less than five minutes later, the Saracens centre, Gregson, once again powered over the line and earned her fourth try of the game.

With just over 10 minutes play, Loughborogh Lightning got their opportunity to attack with Saracens down to 14 players with Marlie Packer sin binned. Bo Westcombe-Evans took advantage of the extra player and secured Lightning’s first points of the second half.

However, the visitors respond quickly with Paige Farries achieving her hattrick and Saracens’ ninth try of the game. Despite being a player down, Saracen’s continued to dominate the Loughborough defence, and Gregson adds a fifth try to her tally. In the last moments of the game Loughborough Lighting got their bonus point try with Amelia Williams flying over the line.

Tries: Kabeya (1’ 17’) Westcombe-Evans (69’) Williams (80’)

Conversions: Rowland (2’ 18’)

Starting XV: 1 Isla Curphey, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Christine Belisle, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Becky Boyd, 6 Alev Kelter, 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Haineala Lutui, 9 Meg Davey, 10 Helen Nelson (c), 11 Bo Westcombe-Evans, 12 Carmela Morrall, 13 Bulou Mataitoga, 14 Fancy Bermudez, 15 Helena Rowland

Replacements: 16 Paige Stathopoulos, 17 Amelia Williams, 18 Grace Clifford, 19 Keevy Fitzpatrick, 20 Kaya Acton, 21 Kendall Waudby, 22 Aoibhe Kelly, 23 Lucia Scott

Tries: Farries (12’ 57’ 71’) Crake (28’) Omokhuale (33’) Gregson (43’ 49’ 62’ 66’ 75’)

Conversions: Harrison (13’ 28’ 34’ 57’ 62’) Macdougall (72’)

Yellow Cards: Packer (68’)

Starting XV: 1 Liz Crake, 2 Bryony Field, 3 Donna Rose, 4 Julia Omokhuale, 5 Laetitia Royer, 6 Gabrielle Senft, 7 Marlie Packer (cc), 8 Sophie de Goede, 9 Tori Sellors, 10 Zoe Harrison (cc), 11 Lotte Sharp, 12 Sophie Bridger, 13 Sydney Gregson, 14 Paige Farries, 15 Jess Breach

Replacements: 16 Daisy Fitzgerald, 17 Chloe Flanagan, 18 Carmen Tremelling, 19 Jodie Verghese, 20 Georgia Evans, 21 Amelia MacDougall, 22 Emma Hardy, 23 Beth Blacklock

Loughborough Lightning came out of the gates all guns blazing at Franklin’s Gardens, with their superstar back rower, Sadia Kabeya flying over the tryline twice in the first 20 minutes of the game. However, despite the positive start from the home side, Saracens remained in touching distance and started to come into game in the latter 20 minutes of the first half, taking the lead as they headed in for half time. Saracens, then stepped it up a level in the second half asserted such dominance over the home side of Loughborough Lightning.

A player of the match worthy performance from the Saracens fly half. Zoe Harrison continued to show why she is one of world’s best fly halves playing a key part in the Saracens dominant victory over Loughborough Lightening, executing a world class kicking game, while also the player behind many of the Saracens successful attacks.

Saracens centre Sydney Gregson, who plays rugby alongside working as a primary school teacher, closes out her half term break with a dominant victory over Saracens in which she scored five of Saracens ten tries all of which were in the second half.

Despite having yet another strong game, Marlie Packer spent the last ten minutes of the game in the sin bin for what was an overreaction from some shoving from the opposition. It was an uncharacteristic loss of disclipline from the former Red Roses captain.