Four key battles to look out for in the 2026 PWR Final

Another historic Premiership Women’s Rugby Final approaches, as Saracens and Trailfinders Women go head to head on Sunday 28 June at the Twickenham Stoop.

After two box office semi-finals, where Exeter Chiefs pushed Saracens to the very limit, leading up until the 74th minute only to come away defeated 40-38 as a late Jess Breach try put daylight between the two teams.

Meanwhile, Trailfinders stunned reigning PWR champions and three-peaters Gloucester Hartpury on the road 29-26. Knockout rugby certainly delivered and now Trailfinders enter their first Final, in only their third season in PWR, against six-time finalists Saracens.

The best league in the world is producing some stacked team sheets, but here are four match ups that will add up to an intriguing curtain closer to the 2025/26 season…

Fly-half | Claire Gallagher v Zoe Harrison

The Canadian up-and-comer versus the English general. Both starting 10s put on masterclasses in their semi-finals.

Gallagher had a standout performance, assisting both the Meg Jones and Isla Norman-Bell tries, including chasing a clearance kick, collecting it and executing the two-on-one in the latter.

Reliable on the ball offering a platter of left-footed kicking threats, not many have been able to out manoeuvre Lleucu George’s chess-like tactical kicking, yet Claire Gallagher had the Cherry and Whites’ back three repeatedly on the back foot.

Zoe Harrison meanwhile demonstrated exactly why she is the starting ten for the reigning Women’s Rugby World Cup holders. Efficient and ruthless, her game management relieved pressure at critical points for Saracens. As their place kicker she delivered 10 points, with five from six conversions, an 83 per cent success rate.

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The territorial battle on Sunday will be immense. Watching these two world-class playmakers, with two very different styles, will be a delight.

Scrum-half | Isla Norman-Bell vs Olivia Apps

How could we not mention the PWR’s Player of the Season with Olivia Apps, a try-scoring force for Saracens. After signing as injury cover last October, the Canada international converted from sevens to XVs and stormed the league with 11 tries and eight try assists, which continued in the semi-finals where she took a brace, a try in either half.

Exceptionally physical, her speed of play and ability to spot an opportunity gives Saracens almost endless go-forward, and her partnership with Harrison has been crucial this season.

But Trailfinders have their own sevens convert in the scrum-half shirt, in Isla Norman-Bell. With scrum-half competition and injury, the semi-final was only her third start in the nine shirt all season.

But that’s not something you’d have been able to tell. A zip of a pass who is also lethal in broken play, she also took two tries in the semi-final and was everywhere she needed to be.

Two internationals with heaps of work-rate and pace, and both accustomed to the big stage, it will be brilliant to watch them compete for quick ball at the breakdown.

Second row | Julia Omokhuale v Alana Borland

Another resident of ‘Little Canada’ in north-west London, Canada international Julia Omokhuale was superb and almost flawless at the line-out in the semi-finals and an 80 minute performance of sheer work rate in the row, including line breaks that set up Saracens first and third tries.

Likewise Black Ferns stalwart Alana Borland enforced defensively against Gloucester Hartpury, as well as breaking the line and offering that dynamic offload game that we have come to learn and love from the southern hemisphere.

Maybe not two of the most boisterous personalities in their respective sides, but their consistent inclusion and guaranteed contributions have seen them both execute well as operators at the set-piece.

Perhaps knockout rugby is where both these internationals thrive and we’ve begun to witness them shine and you cannot help eagerly look forward to who will come out on top this weekend.

Flanker | Marlie Packer vs Kate Zackary

It will be Marlie Packer’s final run out in a Saracens shirt this weekend after a nine year stay at the club. Her impact in the back-row is undeniable, and she’s in excellent form since returning from a Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign that saw her earn two player of the match performances.

However, discipline hampered Packer once again in the semi-finals, and her sin bin for offside in the 32nd minute allowed Exeter Chiefs to score three tries in eight minutes unanswered and put Saracens chasing at half-time.

Packer is one of those players that we love to see play on the edge, but with her third yellow this season seeing her jointly lead the PWR stats for sin bins, it will be interesting to see where the line lays this weekend.

Meanwhile Trailfinders captain Kate Zackary has been a talismanic player in whichever PWR team she tenures. Out with injury for much of this season, since her return the internationally star-studded side has found form – perhaps due to her influence?

Packer and Zackary last went head to head in the PWR Final in 2022 when both played No.8 for Saracens and Exeter respectively. It will be great to witness this battle again.