Marlie Packer-inspired Saracens progress to Premier 15s final with emphatic win over Harlequins

Saracens Women 30 Harlequins Women 10

A semi-final collision of the cross-city rivals that have defined the first era of the Premier 15s, and a decisive reminder of who is boss. Saracens and Harlequins’ final duopoly was guaranteed to be broken but few foresaw a victory as emphatic as this, the two-time winners forcing their foes into submission with a trademark performance of ferocity and control.

This was retribution not just for last year’s final, but also Harlequins’ regular season victory here in December. It was led by breakdown tyrant Marlie Packer, inspiring a Saracens showing crafted in her hostile, irrepressible image to ensure her side will again be centre-stage at this year’s showpiece Sixways title decider.

“Of course it was [revenge],” Packer smiled afterwards. “This is knockout rugby. It takes a lot to come and beat us here, and not many teams have done it. We needed to make sure we got the job done today and that’s what we did.”

Harlequins had the better of the early skirmishes, though 15 minutes of profligacy rather set the tone for a wasteful afternoon. Sarah Beckett came closest, but could not conclusively be deemed to have scored and, by contrast, Saracens were clinical when their chance at possession in advanced territory came.

A powerful drive from the line-out punctured Harlequins and Poppy Cleall’s swift pick-up and punchy carry exploited the close-in holes. Five minutes later, Packer followed her to the line, dismissively ridding herself of Beckett after sharp handling from the backs.

Alev Kelter added to the lead with her boot but was then sin-binned. Harlequins immediately capitalised on their numerical ascendancy through Jess Breach in the corner, and might have crossed again moments later had Breach’s pass to Ellie Kildunne not drifted forward.

It proved a costly miss. Kelter returned with the sounding of the half-time hooter, and Saracens struck, Cleall with a carbon copy of her first with the clock in the red. It did not take long after the restart for Saracens to further flex their forward muscle, this time May Campbell the scorer.

Harlequins will rightly suggest Kelter was then fortunate not to receive a second yellow after clashing with Rosie Galligan but, in truth, it would have had little bearing on the result. Even after Campbell did see yellow for cynically collapsing a maul, Saracens stood firm as another Harlequins scoring chance went awry. Amy Cokayne finally dotted down a late consolation, but it was much too little, much too late.

Match details

Scoring Sequence: 5-0 Cleall try, 10-0 M Packer try, 12-0 Kelter conversion, 15-0 Kelter penalty, 15-5 Breach try, 20-5 Cleall try, 22-5 Kelter conversion, 27-5 Campbell try, 30-5 Kelter penalty, 30-10 Cokayne try.

Saracens: S McKenna; A Corrigan (T Vaughan Fowler 77), C Wardle, A Kelter, L Clapp (L Biggs 77); H Aitchison, E Wyrwas (A Goddard 77); H Botterman (D Rose 77), M Campbell (K Evans 77), K Clifford (A Ellis 54); F McIntosh (S Green 71), P Cleall; M Carson, V Fleetwood, M Packer (J Rettie 74).

Harlequins: E Kildunne (E Green 71); H Cowell (I Mayhew 67), L Tuima, R Burford, J Breach; E Scott, L Packer (F Aucken 65); V Cornborough (T Viksten 48), A Cokayne, S Brown (C Edwards 71); R Galligan (F Fletcher 71), S Bonar; K Mew (E Bloor 71), A Harper (L Brooks 47) S Beckett.

Referee: Nikki O’Donnell

Attendance: 2,139