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The Race to the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) Finals Heats Up
The race to become the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) champions has been whittled down to just four teams. Reigning champions Gloucester-Hartpury, Saracens, Bristol Bears, and Exeter Chiefs are the clubs still vying for the English club game’s ultimate prize.
Despite the quartet’s dominance this season, the excitement for the play-offs remains undiminished. Table-topping Gloucester-Hartpury and regular season runners-up Saracens secured the coveted home semi-finals, with Gloucester-Hartpury taking on Exeter this Sunday and Saracens hosting Bristol.
History suggests a tough task for the Bears and Chiefs, as no lower-seeded team has ever won a semi-final since the league’s rebranding in 2017. However, both matches will be available to stream live and for free on RugbyPass TV, except where there are local broadcast deals in place (UK, Ireland, Canada, and USA).
In the north London clash, Saracens host Bristol Bears, with the home side hoping to continue their winning run after securing the Allianz Cup title and finishing the PWR regular season with four consecutive victories. However, the Bears are energized by the opportunity to create history and provided a blueprint for beating Saracens in their 35-10 victory three months ago.
Meanwhile, Gloucester-Hartpury put their hopes of back-to-back titles on the line against Exeter Chiefs. The Circus fell just short of an unbeaten regular season, but their players are eager to learn from the experience and secure the ultimate prize. Exeter Chiefs, on the other hand, are motivated by the chance to avenge last year’s PWR final defeat and play the showpiece match on home soil.
Notably, Bristol Bears’ Abbie Ward, who returned to the pitch just 17 weeks after the birth of her daughter Hallie, has been confirmed as one of the 32 Red Roses players to be awarded full-time contracts for the 2024-25 season. Her journey is chronicled in the ground-breaking documentary “Abbie Ward: Bump in the Road,” which explores the challenges faced by professional female athletes and working mothers.
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