Kingsholm showdown to decide the title

THE Premier 15s top two sides Gloucester-Hartpury and Exeter Chiefs meet at Kingsholm next Saturday in both team’s first ever final. 

- BEN JAYCOCK

Susie Appleby’s Exeter have made a miraculous rise since forming in 2019, finishing second this year with 15 wins from 18 and the former England scrum-half is looking forward to locking horns with a Gloucester-Hartpury side she used to coach for five years before taking up her current position with the Chiefs.

“It makes me really happy that the side I got going is doing really well,” she said. I still know a lot of the players and a lot of the staff. Sean Lynn’s a fantastic bloke and is doing really well with the girls. What makes me really happy is the top two teams in the competition are in the final which doesn’t always happen.”

Exeter posses a formidable driving maul with USA international hooker Hope Rogers the leading beneficiary with 16 tries this season.

Appleby said: “We learn more and more about our players everyday. Hope Rogers is an unbelievable athlete and an unbelievable player. In theory she should only play 25-30 minutes a game but there she is standing on the pitch at the end of 80 minutes.