17/10/2026
A HOME SEMI FINAL FOR SARACENS WOMEN
The SSA congratulates Beth Wilcock for her Saracens debut and return from injury.
It was great to see her smiling and happy after the match.
Saracens Women needed 1 match point to secure a home semi-final in defence of what is now the JAECOO NEXT GEN CUP, they have won 2 seasons in a row.
They delivered 5, in a comprehensive 46-19 win over Exeter Chiefs Women, even with 20 minutes of yellow cards to contend with.
There was an unpromising start as the Exeter scrummage began with a huge drive, but Tori Sellors opened the Saracens account with an unconverted try.
Chiefs’reply by Katie Smith, was converted by Liv McGoverne. 5-7.
Morgan Freeman, continuing her run at ho**er and later back row, put Sarries back in the lead, and this time Amelia MacDougall found the target, as she did for Player of the Match, Jodie Verghese, to send her side in 19-14 up at halftime, after Emily Robinson scored the last points of the half for Chiefs, with a try converted by Liv.
Poppy Cleall joined the game just before halftime, but having opened the 2nd half scoring, she soon fell foul of referee Alex Thomas as unfortunately, she invariably does with him, and his yellow card came out.
Mr Thomas also sent Saracens’ 18 year old tight head prop, Ruby Ross, to the bin 2 minutes later, Ruby having been substituted previously, and returning under the rolling substitution rules this competition allows.
In between these happenings, Deborah Wills took the opportunity to score against her former side for the visitors.
For all this, Exeter Chiefs Women didn’t score again, but Charlotte Wright-Haley did, so did SSA sponsored, Akina Gondwe, on her return from injury, twice.
This was wonderful to see, as was Jemima Moss scoring her first Saracens try in overtime at the end of the match.
With 2 more conversions from Amelia, that added up to the final score.
The semi-final will be at StoneX Stadium on Saturday 31st November against Bristol Bears Women at 18.00 and will be a double header with the men’s earlier fixture v Newcastle Red Bulls at 15.00.
Tries
Tori Sellors
Morgan Freeman
Jodie Verghese
Poppy Cleall
Charlotte Wright-Haley
Akina Gondwe 2
Jemima Moss
Conversions
Amelia MacDougall 3
Match Points- Saracens 5-0 Exeter
Referee - Alex Thomas
Yellow cards - Saracens - Poppy Cleall - Ruby Ross
Attendance - 677
Player of the Match - Jodie Verghese
Photos Jon Timms unless labelled by and Colin Garrett.
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