Bryony Cleall treble crucial as Saracens seal top spot
Saracens Women have finished top of the Premier15s after a 29-19 away win in their rescheduled fixture against Bristol Ladies.
The regular season of the newlook women’s domestic league was due to finish last week, but due to unplayable conditions, six of the 10 teams had to play over Easter.
Saracens had fallen into second place after a tight loss to Harlequins Ladies last week, but have climbed back above their London rivals thanks in part to a hat-trick by the free-scoring Bryony Cleall.
Cleall and her identical twin, England international Poppy, have made a potent combination with Marlie Packer that has been vital in Sarries’ success. Packer secured a brace for Sarries, while Bristol had rallied with tries courtesy of Clara Nielson, Cat Mcnaney and Ireland international Claire Molloy.
Bristol’s ninth defeat of the season left them in sixth place, behind Loughborough Lightning, who played their final game last weekend. The top four play-off spots had been decided, with only the question left of who would finish top.
Saracens face fourth-placed Gloucester-hartpury in the two-leg play-offs on April 7-8 and 14-15. Harlequins meet Wasps to fight it out for a place in the final on April 29 at the home of Ealing Trailfinders.
Third-placed Wasps were the only other top-four side to play this weekend and they came away from Merseyside with an emphatic 34-0 win against Firwood Waterloo.
However, the result had no impact on their final place in the table, with Wasps handing Premier 15s debuts to Amy Wigley, Danielle Harrison and Deidre Roberts.
In the six-try rout, England’s longest-serving player, Danielle Waterman, continued her strong form from the Natwest Six Nations with a hat-trick. Wing Amy Atkinson opened the scoring, and tries also came from scrum-half Sammy Wong and No 8 Nicola Smith.
It was three away wins from three as Darlington Mowden Park Sharks sealed a 27-12 victory at Sixways Stadium, where bottomplaced side Worcester Valkyries finished their season winless.