Georgia Evans, Kat Evans and Donna Rose all played their part in knocking the Bears off the top of the table with a 17-12 triumph last weekend. It meant Sarries are now the only unbeaten team in the league.
Next up are the reigning champions, who beat their capital city rivals in last season’s final at Gloucester. The air will no doubt be thick with revenge. The game has been branded ‘The Duel’.
“We know it is going to be another massive game with a really high profile. The win over Bristol has given us a great stepping-stone into a fixture we all want to win after last year’s final defeat,” said Kat Evans.
“It helps us a little bit that Quins have lost two games already, but we know we’ve still got things to sort out. We started slowly against Bristol and it seems that we only get into our stride after the opposition has hurt us.”
Evans is loving her rugby at present having finally become an international player at the age of 35 in the autumn series. Now the Saracens hooker is set her sights on a first Six Nations championship in the new year and then the World Cup in New Zealand.
“Far from having any thoughts about retiring I’m setting my sights on going to next year’s World Cup. To do that I need to be playing well for Saracens in the first instance and that has always been my biggest motivation,” she added.
“We have such great strength in depth at the club and we all push each other on. It is a great environment to be a part of.”
The Bears are on the road again this weekend with a shorter trip up the M5 to Worcester Warriors for a local derby being marketed under the banner of ‘Christmas Cracker’. There are six Welsh starters in the Bears side, including a complete back row, and two in the back row for the Warriors.
It promises to be a head on collision between two teams who know each other so well. Warriors have won the last three, but are five places behind the second placed Bears.
“We’re all really excited because it is a big local derby. Our performances don’t really reflect our results and we’re looking for a big display,” said Warriors Welsh back row star Alex Callender.
“The Bears have come on leaps and bounds. It is going to be a big physical battle.”
Sioned Harries will join Callender in battling with Alisha Butchers, Manon Johnes and Siwan Lillicrap in the breakdown area. Carys Phillips and Ffion Lewis are waiting in the wings on the bench for the Warriors.
Bethan Lewis will have the honour of packing down in the back row at Gloucester-Hartpury with the newly crowned World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, Zoe Aldcroft, for their trip to Exeter Chiefs. The Red Roses star received her award from the legendary Maggie Alphonisi at her club earlier in the week.
