Saracens Women v Ealing Trailfinders PWR Final Preview

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:07:22:19:27:40 by Darraghgirl.

Almost the perfect half. Dispclinw issues rearing its head against the end though.

26-0 at HT

But down a player for the first part of the second half

FT 52-14. A dominant performance from Sarries, a well deserved win

Brilliant performance, back to their best after the semi. A joy to watch all season. Part of me still wishes we got GH in the final to avenge the losses but as the cliche goes. So glad Marlie goes out on a high.

Great performance to cap off a great season. Well done to everyone involved. Our Canadians were amazing today and Julia was deservedly PoM.

We now need to change the picture on this site to the double champions of the 2025/26 season!

Enjoy the celebrations everyone!

Congratulations to the Women's team. A very good performance and a fitting reward to what's been a brilliant season of development with the promise of much more to come.

Huge credit to the complementary coaching of Austerberry and Rouet.
Significantly changing our attack how the Women's team play in a single season with proper conviction and buy in from other coaches and players alike.

Like Strangelove I'm so pleased Scaz gave the PotM where it rightly deserved to be. Omokhuale has been absolutely incredible this season, along with Apps one of the stellar additions to our already quality team.

Great to give Packer the send off she deserves and good luck to her at Quins.

The most exciting thing of all is that this is very much the beginning of this squad and way of playing. Next season looks like it will see a number of teams improving and as well as delivering against them we very much have unfinished business against Glos. I can't wait.

Quote:

TommyKentish
A joy to watch all season. Part of me still wishes we got GH in the final to avenge the losses but as the cliche goes.

Agree. We'll have to settle for doing the double over them next season!

I forgot the most important thing. Long contracts for Apps, Rouet and Omokhuale please.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:06:28:19:07:22 by PaulHerox.

Apps rightly gets loads of plaudits but Omokhuale has fast become one of my favourites, absolute monster of a player.

Excellent overall performance in attack and defence. Well deserved result.

Yeah, so pleased that they could put their whole game on the pitch. Having Kelsey on from the start and getting set piece dominance was critical for me and a word for Bryony Field who's really blossomed with more game time after May's unfortunate injury.

Quote:

nedrichards
Yeah, so pleased that they could put their whole game on the pitch. Having Kelsey on from the start and getting set piece dominance was critical for me and a word for Bryony Field who's really blossomed with more game time after May's unfortunate injury.

Agree, difficult shoes to fill and Bryony has been great, will only make her stronger and more experienced. Also agree that Julia was probably the shrewdest bit of recruitment even with the arrival of Liv - what an athlete and such a lovely person, too.

Just a word on what a great PWR season it’s been and how competitive it has been - certainly kicked on from the World Cup, more to do, but a fabulous advert for the game we love. Only going to get more competitive with Sale making signings, GH hurting and the likes of Ealing showing they are only going to get better. If we can get a 10th side (Bath United have expressed an interest )and Tigers can develop further, it’ll be even better…and they’ve secured a major sponsor for 3 seasons. Huge thanks to Marlie, a true Sarries and England legend - will be odd seeing her in quarters next season - at least we know when we play her she’ll have a 10 minute rest when we don’t have to worry about her!

Yes, on the expansion side the recent comments suggest that Wales, Scotland and Ireland are basically going to look to fold their Celtic Challenge sides into the PWR in a few years, not *quite* sure how that works for the non-pro players and further how that sort of thing would affect the depth and quality of the 'English' sides but we shall see. All of that's for next season though, for tonight we're champions!

Yes indeed ….I hope the girls celebrate well , although many of them will have to go to work this morning ….no doubt with a few sore heads …

Quote:

Strangelove

Quote:

nedrichards
Yeah, so pleased that they could put their whole game on the pitch. Having Kelsey on from the start and getting set piece dominance was critical for me and a word for Bryony Field who's really blossomed with more game time after May's unfortunate injury.

Agree, difficult shoes to fill and Bryony has been great, will only make her stronger and more experienced. Also agree that Julia was probably the shrewdest bit of recruitment even with the arrival of Liv - what an athlete and such a lovely person, too.

Just a word on what a great PWR season it’s been and how competitive it has been - certainly kicked on from the World Cup, more to do, but a fabulous advert for the game we love. Only going to get more competitive with Sale making signings, GH hurting and the likes of Ealing showing they are only going to get better. If we can get a 10th side (Bath United have expressed an interest )and Tigers can develop further, it’ll be even better…and they’ve secured a major sponsor for 3 seasons. Huge thanks to Marlie, a true Sarries and England legend - will be odd seeing her in quarters next season - at least we know when we play her she’ll have a 10 minute rest when we don’t have to worry about her!

Field was excellent, our lineout seems to have improved massively with her throwing. May is pretty tough to beat with her contribution around the pitch though. I wonder with Marlie being off if we’ll see her more in the back row next season.

Re Bath, isn’t it part of the new Prem rules that the men’s clubs have to run a women’s team? I would assume that means a PWR team doesn’t it?

Quote:

nedrichards
Yes, on the expansion side the recent comments suggest that Wales, Scotland and Ireland are basically going to look to fold their Celtic Challenge sides into the PWR in a few years, not *quite* sure how that works for the non-pro players and further how that sort of thing would affect the depth and quality of the 'English' sides but we shall see. All of that's for next season though, for tonight we're champions!

A great win with some outstanding skills from a truly exceptional squad. Such a joy to watch so many brilliant players.

I'm far from convinced that expansion will produce a better competition, or be in the interests of England. We're in the midst of a golden period for both Sarries and England. My fear, if the game grows too fast, is that we'll see more behemoths, greater cynicism, better kicking (more Zoes) all of which will reduce the space, skill and spectacle that makes the game such a joy to watch. How much longer will diminutive players like May continue to shine so brightly? Recent u20 results (thrashings by France) have given concern that there are too few places in WPR for young English players to develop; the French pathway is seen as ahead of ours.

While I'm here, a shout out to our club for their historical commitment to Womens Rugby. Am I right in thinking that we're the only Premiership club that developed its own side from scratch, all those years ago? Is the next oldest Bristol, who took over Clifton this millennium? Finally, any news re our outstanding Canadians remaining next season, players and coach?

I'm not sure about Sarries being the only club that developed the side from scratch but I heard comments on two of your points as I watched the match back on TNT:

1) Someone (Natasha Hunt?) said that Sarries had been at the top of Women's rugby since the 90s.

I certainly watched one Ladies (I think it was called then - they have clearly got over it) match at VR in the early days and I am sure some of our former names were leading players even then (but sadly I can't name them) Challenge?

2) Plenty on how good the Canadians werre. I seem to think that the coach has been given 'leave of absence' on the basis that he keeps an eye on his players. So that seems to suggest to me that they could be here for another season or two? Anyone?

I'm still not entirely sure what the deal is with the Canadians. In the "Canada House" interview I think someone mentioned their visa doesn't allow them to work. Is that in addition to rugby ie can they be paid for rugby.

The cap is small enough as it is but you'd think that both Packer and Galligan would have been taking a slice of it and so far we have no new additions mentioned so maybe that money will be spread in the current squad. Class players as both where I'm not seeing an obvious need to recruit for replacements that can't be found in the squad.

I'd imagine for the Canadians playing under Rouet is a pretty massive draw and coaches salaries aren't in cap so getting a longer commitment from him might be the best way to help ensure we keep our Canucks!

It also helps Rouet to see how to beat England next time?!

This may help - interview with Rouet

Rouet article on BBC site

Strangelove it sounds odd but I think that would be very good for England longer term. Whether thats having more opponents who can really test them or even beat them I think that's how England find the next level.

Quote:

tpr's headmistress
This may help - interview with Rouet
Rouet article on BBC site

Thank you.
I'm in awe of the players without professional contracts but I guess in that situation you're basically using savings/loans/parental gifts to follow your passion for X years. I wonder if their visa is liable to change once they have been here a number of years?

Sarries have had a top ladies team since before men’s rugby turned professional in the 1990s. I can remember seeing them training at Chase Side and I seem to remember there was even some press coverage about how strong a team they were back then - seem to remember the top team in Europe!

Quote:

PaulHerox
Strangelove it sounds odd but I think that would be very good for England longer term. Whether thats having more opponents who can really test them or even beat them I think that's how England find the next level.

Quote:

tpr's headmistress
This may help - interview with Rouet
Rouet article on BBC site

Thank you.
I'm in awe of the players without professional contracts but I guess in that situation you're basically using savings/loans/parental gifts to follow your passion for X years. I wonder if their visa is liable to change once they have been here a number of years?

Agree Paul, England need more teams pushing them all the way.

Sarries womens history from the club timeline: [saracens.com] and the 35th anniversary post. [saracens.com]

And I'll check TK but i believe its something like "each mens prem club has to spend X on supporting womens rugby" which coukd be a team, an academy or even just giving the cash directly to Sarries women ;-) i think it's crafted a bit the way they have requirements to support mens player development which are generally satisfied by running the mens academy.

Saw on socials Bryony has not missed a game in two seasons. Wow!

There's some lovely "content" on RugbyRodeo with Breach and McDougall and Wright-Halley (plus Emma Swords) and also on the Good, the Scaz and the Rugby filmed immediately after the game at the Stoop with lots of the Sarries Women.