Warriors Women tasted a humbling 60-7 defeat against Exeter Chiefs in front of more than 1,000 spectators at Sandy Park.
Having recorded a 57-7 victory over DMP Durham Sharks last weekend as well as pushing Saracens and Bristol all the way in previous matches, it was a disappointing performance from Warriors.
Exeter quick out of the blocks
Jo Yapp’s side never got going, and found themselves 19-0 down inside the first 15 minutes by virtue of two tries from Merryn Doidge either side of Emily Tuttosi’s score from a driving line-out.
Doidge opened the scoring straight from kick-off, Chiefs hitting the visitors on the counter, with the full-back finding herself in oceans of space to sprint in from 40 metres out. After Tuttosi’s try from the set-piece, the first of her three scores, Doidge extended her side’s advantage on 15 minutes when Chiefs’ backline punished Warriors for coming out of the defensive line too quickly.
Warriors hit back
Undeterred by the margin of the scoreline, having only played a quarter-of-an-hour, Warriors showed character to hit back with a try of their own through Lydia Thompson, who was in fine form both in attack and defence. The England wing latched onto Ellen Murphy’s sublime offload in the tackle to race half the length of the field. Murphy converted Thompson’s score to reduce the deficit to 19-7.
Exeter secured the bonus point on 25 minutes when McKinley Hunt underlined Chiefs’ dominance upfront to Durrow over, before Β Jennine Detiveaux went over to make it 31-7.
Laura Keates, on her return from a lengthy injury lay-off, made way for Carmen Tremelling towards the end of the first half, having got some valuable minutes into her legs.
On the stroke of half-time Tuttosi bagged her brace for the afternoon and with a commanding 36-7 advantage at the break, there was no let-up from the home side in the second half.
HT | Exeter Chiefs 36-7 Warriors Women
ππ§π§πͺπ€πͺπ’π ππ’π³π΅π―π¦π³ | @BoardrmUK pic.twitter.com/uCCQlGeMcO
— Worcester Warriors Women (@WorcsWarriorsW) February 26, 2022
Chiefs keep it going
It took Exeter five minutes of the second period to get their sixth try of the afternoon courtesy of open side flanker Kate Zackary, and then Doidge wrapped up her hat-trick on 52 minutes. Lydia Thompson had prevented a breakaway score moments earlier with an outstanding cover tackle, which culminated in a turnover – the world class wing in scintillating form as the TikTok Women’s Six Nations comes into sharp focus.
Chiefs’ formidable pack enabled Tuttosi to flop over the line from a driving line-out on the hour and Zackary grabbed her second try of the contest a minute from time to end the game 60-7.
FT | Exeter Chiefs 60-7 Warriors Women
ππ§π§πͺπ€πͺπ’π ππ’π³π΅π―π¦π³ | @BoardrmUK pic.twitter.com/pcb0Ho9dpS
— Worcester Warriors Women (@WorcsWarriorsW) February 26, 2022
Timeline
1m | Doidge try 5-0
2m | Foster con 7-0
7m | Tuttosi try 12-0
8m | Foster con 14-0
10m | Doidge try 19-0
23m | Thompson try 19-5
24m | Murphy con 19-7
25m | Hunt try 24-7
27m | Detiveaux try 29-7
28m | Foster con 31-7
38m | Tuttosi try 36-7
45m | Zackary try 41-7
52m | Doidge try 46-7
60m | Tuttosi try 51-7
61m | Foster con 53-7
79m | Zackary try 58-7
80m | Foster con 60-7
Warriors Women | 15 Abi Kershaw, 14 Lydia Thompson, 13 Carys Cox, 12 Meg Varley, 11 Vicky Laflin, 10 Ellen Murphy, 9 Ffion Lewis, 1 Akina Gondwe, 2 Carys Phillips (c), 3 Laura Keates, 4 Jo Brown, 5 Alycia Washington, 6 Alex Matthews, 7 Alex Callender, 8 Sioned Harries
Replacements | 16 El Febrey, 17 Abby Smitheman, 18 Carmen Tremelling, 19 Amelia Buckland Hurry, 20 Cara Brincat, 21 Jess Kershaw, 22 Minori Yamamoto, 23 Cat McNaney