Report: Saracens Women 17-14 Bristol Bears Women

What Happened? 

Saracens opened the scoring inside the opening five minutes, a knock-on in the Bristol twenty-two gave the hosts territory and a platform to build an attack and Georgie Lingham was the beneficiary as the winger crossed in the corner. 

The two sides traded blows as the first half progressed but it would be Saracens who would cross the chalk next, Vistisen received the ball on the left wing and weaved her way through the oncoming Bears defence to finish under pressure in the corner. 

Bristol Bears Women almost hit back as Becky Hughes cut through the Saracens defensive line inside the twenty-two, but the fly-half’s pass to Sarah Bern didn’t quite go to hand and the hosts were let off. 

Neither side managed to sustain pressure as the half progressed and the score remained 10-0 to the hosts at half-time.

The Bears started the second half in the ascendancy as they looked to drive their way over the Saracens line with multiple driving line-outs, but the champions held firm and kept the Bears at bay. 

Saracens opened the scoring in the second period after Bryony Cleall gathered a hanging box kick, the ball was then fed through the hands to Lingham and the winger impressively finished from fifty metres out with Cattell adding the extras.

The Bears brought themselves back into the game with ten minutes to play, Bryony Cleall was sin-binned for collapsing a maul and the visitors made the advantage count with Florence Long driving her way over the chalk. 

Attwood then set up a tense finish at Allianz Park after cutting sumptuous line off Becky Hughes before stepping past two Saracens defenders to dot down under the posts, she converted her own score to bring the Bears within three points. 

The visitors had one last roll of the dice with a line-out in the Saracens half, but the hosts managed to apply enough pressure at the line-out to force an error and see then see out the game.

Teams: 

Bristol Bears Women: 15. Merryn Doidge, 14. Lauren Harris, 13. Lucy Atwood, 12. Lucie Skuse, 11. Lily Stoeger-Goddard, 10. Becky Hughes, 9. Caity Mattinson; 1. Naomi Keddie, 2. Clara Nielson (C), 3. Sarah Bern, 4. Amelia Buckland-Hurry, 5. Hollie Cunningham, 6. Daisie Mayes, 7. Poppy Leitch, 8. Gabby Senft. 

Impact Players: 16. Florence Long, 17. Jess Thomas, 18. Kate Newton, 19. Rownita Marston, 20. Rhi Parker, 21. Kyara Martin, 22. Lucy Burgess. 

Saracens Women: 15. Nina Vistisen, 14. Georgia Lingham, 13. Sydney Gregson, 12. Hannah Casey, 11. Lottie Clapp, 10. Lauren Cattell, 9. Georgie Gulliver; 1. Bryony Cleall, 2. May Campbell, 3. Jeannie Layola, 4. Rosie Galligan, 5. Ellie Gatlin, 6. Chrissy Siczowa, 7. Lauren Newman, 8. Kay Searcy. 

Replacements: 16. Jodie Rettie 17. Hannah Duffy, 18. Kat Robinson, 19. Sarah Bebbington 20. Eloise Hayward, 21. Cara Wardle, 22. Chantelle Meill.