Wasps looking to close gap on superb leaders
BACK in 1987, the first women’s match to be played at Twickenham featured Richmond and Wasps and the two teams go headto-head again today.
After a two-week break, third-placed Wasps will be looking to close the gap to runaway leaders Harlequins and Saracens with a big win against Richmond.
Today’s game is the first Premier 15s match to be shown live on television and Wasps director of rugby Giselle Mather said: “It’s a big day for Premier 15s as the first game to go out live on Sky Sports. Wasps Ladies are very excited to be part of it.”
Fresh from making her England debut and scoring five tries in the three Old Mutual Wealth matches against Canada, Abby Dow starts on the wing for Wasps.
The visitors also welcome back Danielle Waterman at full-back and see Justine Lucas return from injury to join Rocky Clarke and Amy Cokayne in the front row.
Vicki Jackson and Tova Derk, who both featured in the first ever women’s Barbarians match, start with fellow Baa-baa Claire Purdy named among the replacements.
France captain Gaelle Mignot starts at hooker for the hosts with second row Row Burnfield leading the side out at the Richmond Athletic Ground.
The hosts were beaten 43-5 by Harlequins in Round 8 and are in the bottom half of the table without a win since a 15-12 success over Firwood Waterloo in Round 6.
Wasps, by contrast, head into the game off the back of four straight wins since their 30-0 thrashing by Saracens in Round 4.