Marlie Packer to say StoneX goodbye in knockout PWR clash

Marlie Packer will be hoping to a winning conclusion to her time at StoneX Stadium this Sunday.

The 36-year-old’s departure from the North London club for city rivals Harlequins this week. Next season the 116-cap England forward will start for Saracens in their Premiership Women’s Rugby semi-final against Exeter Chiefs.

Packer starts in an unchanged back-row with Canada internationals Gabrielle Senft and Sophie de Goede. Liz Crake, Bryony Field and Donna Rose start in an unchanged front-row.

After she missed last week’s 80-14 win against Trailfinders Women, Laetitia Royer partners Julia Omokhuale in the second row. In the backs, newly crowned PWR Player of the Season, Olivia Apps, continues to partner co-captain Zoe Harrison at half-back.

Sydney Gregson moves into midfield to partner Sophie Bridger, and Jess Breach starts at full-back to complete a back three alongside Lotte Sharp and Alysha Corrigan.

Exeter have made two changes to the team that beat Sale Sharks 50-24 last weekend. These amendments are largely superficial, with Sabrina Poulin shifting to full-back to allow Katie Buchanan a start on the right wing.

The remainder of the squad is the same. The back-row still comprises of the league’s top tackler Maisy Allen, team captain Emily Robinson and displaced tighthead prop DaLeaka Menin.

After six tries in her past two games, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald will want to maintain her eye for the try line should Chiefs want to reach the Twickenham Stoop final on Sunday 28 June.

This season Exeter have lost twice to Saracens. The first came in December, where a strong second half performance saw the North London side win 24-14 at Sandy Park, before Alex Austerberry’s team ran out 45-7 winners at StoneX Stadium in February.

Despite those losses Exeter’s head coach, Steve Salvin, believed that his team’s late season form provides cause for optimism about what could happen this weekend.

Salvin said: “In that first 20 minutes away at Saracens, we weren’t clinical enough. We had opportunity, we probably had possibly even more opportunities than Saracens in terms of 22 entries, we just didn’t execute any of them.

“In our last four games, we have been clinical when we’ve got down into those areas of the field. We’re a team that wants to play with tempo and we’re a team that’s very comfortable playing territorially, whichever one of those things gets us into the 22. I think the crucial bit for us this week is going to be making sure we execute those opportunities when they come.”

Saracens: Jess Breach, Alysha Corrigan, Sydney Gregson, Sophie Bridger, Lotte Sharp, Zoe Harrison, Olivia Apps; Liz Crake, Bryony Field, Donna Rose, Julia Omokhuale, Laetitia Royer, Gabrielle Senft, Gabrielle Senft, Marlie Packer (CC), Sophie de Goede

Replacements: Carmen Tremelling, Kelsey Clifford, Chloe Flanagan, Georgia Evans, Poppy Cleall, Tori Sellors, Amelia MacDougall, Emma Hardy

Exeter Chiefs: Sabrina Poulin, Katie Buchanan, Alex Tessier, Nancy McGillivray, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, Liv McGoverne, Flo Robinson; Hope Rogers, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Amy Rule, Linde van der Velden, Dorothy Wall, Emily Robinson (C), Maisy Allen, DaLeaka Menin

Replacements: Emily Tuttosi, Abby Middlebrooke, Lola Whitley, Gabriella Nigrelli, Zoe Dare, Lucy Nye, Danielle Preece, Merryn Elworthy