Saracens cruise past Trailfinders to win title

Saracens just needed three ingredients to play Trailfinders off the pitch and win their first Premiership Women’s Rugby title in four years: clinical attack, brick-wall defence and an immense kicking game.

- Sarah Rendell

Not only did they execute their game-plan but the experience of being in their sixth final in eight seasons was devastatingly clear, despite having to play with 14 players for 20 minutes.

The first-time finalists Trailfinders had hopes of causing a huge upset after knocking out the three-time defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury in their semi-final. But wasted chances meant that even Meg Jones’s solid performance was not enough to inspire another shock. Instead Marlie Packer, who scored two tries and was sent to the sin bin, won her fourth top-flight title to toast nine years at Saracens. In a poetic twist, she lifted the trophy as Sarries co-captain alongside Zoe Harrison at the venue she will be playing at next season, as she is making the switch to Harlequins.

Packer, Harrison and Olivia Apps had a great final to get Saracens over the line but Alysha Corrigan was a player doing a lot of work under the radar. She made some huge tackles, scored a try and made a break to set up Sydney Gregson’s score, which put the nail in Trailfinders’ coffin in just the 33rd minute.