Gloucester-Hartpury, the reigning three-time champions of the PWR, started the 2025/26 season as they mean to go on with a powerful defeat of Saracens 40 - 14.
Gloucester-Hartpury vs Saracens match report
The hosts put on a strong performance in front of a home crowd, beginning the scoreboard as Maud Muir crashed over the line after a scrum ten metres from the line.
Just minutes later they extended this lead even further, after they had piled the pressure onto the visitors with successive penalties and kicks to the corner, resulting in them being able to deploy their deadly rolling maul.
It was an almost clinical performance from Gloucester-Hartpury as they scored their third try to extend their lead to 19 - 0 just five minutes later, as Natasha Hunt’s keen awareness of space saw her spin the ball to Jade Shekel l, who outwitted a tackling defender to dot down.
Faced with such momentum and aggression, Saracens were simply unable to hit back in the first half, as although they had some offensive attempts and breaks into the hosts’ 22, they were unable to convert this into meaningful scores.
Saracens finally bring the fight
Gloucester-Hartpury wasted no time in increasing their lead at the start of the second half as Sam Monaghan crashed over the line - however this seemed to be the danger and fire that Saracens needed to spark their own offence.
Their retaliation was almost instantaneous as a set of strong carries sent them deep into Gloucester’s 22, where May Campbell was able to score her first try of the season.
Gloucester were more than up for answering this challenge though, as Kelsey Jones scored her second and Tatyana Heard dotted down under the posts to re-assert their dominant lead.
Yet, it did seem that Saracens had finally unlocked their offensive potential, as they got their second try after working their way into Gloucester’s territory though successive penalties before Amelia MacDougall crossed in the corner.
Ultimately though, they were unable to challenge such a dominant Gloucester-Hartpury side, who ended the match 40 - 14 up in an ideal start to their season as defending champions.
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