Emma Wassell ahead of PWR semi-final: 'This is an extremely exciting time to be a Trailfinder'

Emma Wassell says it is “an extremely exciting time to be a Trailfinder” as the club prepare to take part in the Premiership Women’s Rugby play-offs for the first time this weekend.

On Sunday, Trailfinders Women will head to Queensholm to take on Gloucester Hartpury in the semi-finals, with the sides looking to make it to the Sunday 28 June final versus either Saracens or Exeter Chiefs.

Given that Gloucester Hartpury have won the last three PWR titles and finished top of the regular season standings this time around they will start as favourites in this tie. But Trailfinders, who finished fourth after being seventh last year, defeated them recently on Friday 29 May.

Since then, Gloucester Hartpury have lost to Bristol Bears and Trailfinders – with a number of frontliners missing – were well beaten by Saracens.

And while those results cannot be discounted going into the play-offs, it is the 41-39 victory that Trailfinders had over Gloucester Hartpury in Round 17 at Trailfinders Sports Club that Barney Maddison and his charges will be looking back on to gain inspiration ahead of this knockout tie.

Fixture

PWR

Gloucester-Hartpury Women RFC

06:00

14 Jun 26

Trailfinders Women

All Stats and Data

“When we played Gloucester away back in December there was just a one-point difference as they beat us 29-28,” the 78-cap Scotland second-row said.

“I was still out injured then, but there was a feeling in the group afterwards that it is a game that we could have won. As a result, it was a bit about getting revenge when they came to our home ground a couple of weeks ago while we were also focused on getting the league points we needed to secure a play-off spot.

“It was brilliant to get the win that night, but I wouldn’t say that was our perfect performance which is what makes the prospect of the semi-final rematch exciting because there were definitely things that we didn’t quite nail in that last game that we know we can be better at.

“In the recent win it really came down to digging in and sticking to our game plan and there was a real genuine belief throughout the week leading into it – and throughout the 80 minutes – that we could win the match.

“Now we did that and got over the line versus Gloucester, we have the belief that we can do it again if we take our performance up a level in the play-off match.

“It’ll be a tough contest no doubt, but we are fully focused on the 80 minutes – this is an extremely exciting time to be a Trailfinder.”

Wassell, who is originally from the north of Scotland and previously represented Loughborough Lightning for a number of years in the English top flight, has had a bit of a frustrating first season in Ealing having missed the opening few months of the campaign with a knee injury picked up during the Women’s Rugby World Cup last summer.

She then endured a tricky Guinness Women’s Six Nations with Scotland as they won just one game, but she was promoted to vice-captain during the tournament.

Wassell then hit the ground running in the Gloucester Hartpury game when club rugby returned recently when she and Black Fern Alana Borland teamed up to good effect in the second-row.

After playing almost every minute of the Women’s Six Nations and then playing a big part in that tough Gloucester Hartpury game, Wassell was not involved when the squad was rotated for the Saracens game with the coaching staff having the semi-final in mind and she stated:  “Coming to a new club out the back of the World Cup and being injured for quite a long spell was pretty difficult to be honest.

“But that lay-off definitely just made me eager to finally get on the pitch for the club and either side of the Six Nations I feel like I have been making up for lost time here and it is great to be playing my part now.

“The girls and the people at the club have been unbelievable. Even when I was going through my injury rehab they made me feel part of things and from day one since I joined I knew that the club were committed to making it into the top four.

“Now we have done that we don’t want to let things slip now. It has been a long season for us all, but we want it to go on just that wee bit longer.”

If they are to still be playing competitive rugby come Sunday 28 June, then Wassell and Borland are likely to be key against Gloucester Hartpury in the semi.

Three other players who are important for Trailfinders whenever they play in big games are captain Kate Zackary, her fellow back-rower Abi Burton and centre Meg Jones.

“Kate Zackary just been incredible for us when she has played,” Wassell said of the experienced USA player. “She has also had her injury issues and ended up missing the PAC 4 competition, but wow, that girl never stops, her energy and the way she motivates people is brilliant. Credit to her for getting back fit recently and galvanising everyone to make sure we got into the top four.

“Abi Burton just an incredible athlete and she’s so powerful. She’s very versatile, gives everything for the team and I’m pleased that I am on her side rather than playing against her!

“And Meg Jones, well she brings a different perspective to leadership that Kate Zack and the other leaders in our group and that is actually invaluable.

“Meg is someone who is very passionate, she wears her heart on her sleeve and she’s so driven in wanting to bring out the best in people around her. It goes without saying she is also a bloody good rugby player, her vision is something else and she can create things out of nothing sometimes.”