'It has been a roller coaster': Tessier hopes to finish year on a high with Chiefs

Alex Tessier knows a little bit of what to expect when Saracens visit her Exeter Chiefs this weekend.

When the North Londoners roll into Devon looking to extend their winning streak to five up to seven of her Canada teammates could be lined up for the visitors as Premiership Women’s Rugby‘s third-place side host the club three points ahead of them in second.

That’s before you chuck in Canada head coach, Kévin Rouet, who has joined the Saracens coaching group as an assistant alongside his Test role.

Since an opening round defeat to three-time champions Gloucester Hartpury, Saracens have been in emphatic form and won their fifth game in a row last weekend when Loughborough Lightning visited StoneX Stadium.

At the heart of this dominance has been Saracens’ Canadians. Alysha Corrigan has been free-scoring, while Julia Omokhuale and Gabby Senft have been dominant in the back-row.

The jewel in the black and red crown has been Olivia Apps. A late arrival in London the scrum-half was awarded the club’s Player of the Month for November and has been key to taking her side from one end of the pitch to the other.

“The biggest thing is the speed of ball,” Tessier said. “It’s probably the lowest in the league right now and I know why – we obviously know that Olivia Apps is one of the nines for Canada and I know how she plays.

“She is extremely physical. She’s extremely fast. She is part of the threat that you need to be mindful of because we know that she can be punishing.”

Prior to this weekend’s clash Saracens’ Director of Rugby, Alex Austerberry, has discussed his players’ physical and mental workload following the recently concluded Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Recently red Roses prop Maud Muir spoke to RugbyPass about how she has struggled to switch her mindset from Test rugby to day-to-day life with Gloucester Hartpury.

Arriving back in Devon in the wake of a Women’s Rugby World Cup final defeat Canada’s captain admits that recovery from that immense disappointment is an ongoing and every day process.

“It has been a roller coaster of emotions moving from one environment to another,” Tessier said.

“I didn’t go back home (post-World Cup), but we went away with some friends to disconnect as much as possible because we knew that the season was just around the corner and it would just hit us quite fast.

“I tried to disconnect as much as I could to digest whatever’s happened and live the emotions that I had to live. It was a good thing, but a difficult thing.

“It (getting back to PWR action) happened so fast. That’s why I think some weeks are better than others. It has been good for myself and the other Canadians here (DaLeaka Menin and Emily Tuttosi), because we’re in the same boat.

“We stuck together and checked in on each other. I think that helped us immensely. Luckily, we have the bye (week) before Christmas, so I am very much looking forward to one last game to finish on a high.”

As methods to heal a broken heart go, guiding Exeter back to PWR’s top four with brilliant and engaging rugby is not to be sniffed at.

Chiefs are currently third in the league thanks to three wins, a loss and a quite remarkable two draws.

Several among the Chiefs’ ranks have excelled as the side, who missed out on semi-finals rugby last season by two points, have taken the competition by storm.

Maisy Allen is the league’s form player, while Flo and Emily Robinson have been similarly unleashed by the arrival of Oli Bishop as backs and attack coach.

Coming into the clash a week removed from their 41-10 dismantling of Bristol Bears, Exeter know that it is their defence that will be tested this Saturday afternoon.

Slowing down Saracens’ unstructured attack is what many teams have been looking to achieve in recent weeks with little luck. But with a week off at Christmas on the horizon, Tessier has her sights set on finishing the year strongly.

“I think Oli (Bishop), as a new coach, brought a breath of fresh air,” Tessier said. “I think we needed some change maybe. It was fun to get back and do a little bit of new stuff.

“You come back from a World Cup, and you continue this wave that you’re trying to ride.

“You want to carry that on and help your teammates at Chiefs from what you have learned in the past, with this year being something I’m very thankful to have been a part of.”