Saracens Women retained their slender lead at the top of the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby table with a thumping win over Trailfinders Women. The hosts ran in eight tries at the StoneX Stadium to bounce back from defeat to Gloucester-Hartpury last time out. Earlier, there were two comebacks as Bristol Bears beat Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester-Hartpury stunned Leicester Tigers.
Saracens returned to winning ways in the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby competition with a thumping 48-17 victory over Trailfinders at the StoneX Stadium.
Gloucester-Hartpury handed Alex Austerberry’s side a first defeat last time out but that was put right in style as Saracens ran in eight tries to maintain their slender one-point advantage at the top of the table.
In a thrilling first half, Sydney Gregson opened the scoring as Saracens made a blistering start.
McKinley Hunt, Leanne Infante and Poppy Cleal also crossed the whitewash for the hosts to secure the bonus point before the break, although Trailfinders hit back through Megan Barwick and Abigail Dow.
Saracens continued their assault in the second half. Sophie de Goede touched down in the 49th minute and added the extras to make it 29-12 with half an hour remaining before Marlie Packer scored a late brace and Gregson added her second.
There was a consolation for the visitors through Rosalie Inman but it was a seventh defeat of the season for Trailfinders, who are above only Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks.
Gloucester-Hartpury kept pace with Saracens at the top of the PWR with a stunning comeback to beat Leicester Tigers.
The Tigers led 26-7 after 43 minutes at Welford Road but failed to score another point as the visitors came to life to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
A try from Alexandra Matthews in the 48th minutes sparked the recovery before a five-minute Cath Richards brace brought the scores level at 26-26 with less than a quarter of the game remaining.
With the momentum, there was no stopping Gloucester-Hartpury, who completed the comeback when Matilda Hyett touched down in the 75th minute.
The victory briefly took Gloucester-Hartpury top of the PWR but they remain one point behind Saracens as they bid to defend their title.
In the first game of Saturday, Bristol Bears made a comeback of their own to down Exeter Chiefs.
The Chiefs moved 12-0 ahead shortly after the half-hour mark before a Lark Atkin-Davies gave the hosts a lifeline at the break at Shaftesbury Park.
The Bears came out rejuvenated for the second half. Two tries from Deborah Wills gave the hosts a slender lead with 30 minutes remaining before a converted Megan Varley score in the 67th minute secured the bonus point and capped off a brilliant 22-12 comeback win.
The defeat saw Exeter fall six points adrift of the top two, while Bristol moved within three of The Chiefs in fourth.
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