The reigning champions had four tries from their strong Welsh contingent to thank for their 50-19 victory over Exeter Chief, while the Bears made history by becoming the first team to win away from home in the semi-finals to reach their first final thanks to a 29-21 triumph at Saracens – the team that had beaten them in the Allianz Premiership Cup final earlier in the season.
The Bears, who had Keira Bevan starting at scrum half and Alisha Joyce-Butchers in the back row, came from behind to stun former champions on their own patch. They were forced to recover from a 14-point deficit and had a hat-trick from England hooker Lark Atkin-Davies to thank for their major revival.
A third Welsh international, Courtney Keight, also came on to play a major role in the triumph after coming on after half-an-hour. Her try wide out in the second half gave the Bears the lead for the first time in the match to make it third time lucky for the Bears, who had lost at the semi-final stage in the past two seasons.
Bevan’s expert box-kicking with the wind in her favour after the break was another key factor in the Bears triumph. They also managed to get the upper hand at the set-piece and will now go in search of their first win over Gloucester-Hartpury since the opening month of the 2021-22 season seven games ago.
Gloucester-Hartpury were in irrepressible form against the side they beat in last season’s final, running in four of their eight tries in the opening half-hour at Kingsholm. Two of those went to Welsh outside half Lleucu George, who opened the scoring after only two minutes, while Wales skipper Hannah Jones got another.
Wales prop Sisi Tuipulotu also got on the score sheet after coming on as a replacement in the 59th minute, just after Kate Williams had also entered the fray to join Beth Lewis in the magnificent Bears back row.
“I give these girls a bit of a licence to inspire – that’s our main pillar. Everything we’ve worked on just clicked for us,” said Gloucester-Hartpury’s Welsh head coach Sean Lynn.
The final will be played at Exeter’s Sandy Park on 22 June – the weekend before the Welsh contingents in both teams are on duty in the vital WXV qualifier against Spain at the Arms Park.
MATCH DETAILS
Saracens 29 – 21 Bristol Bears
Scoring sequence: 5-0 Grant try, 7-0 Harrison con, 12-0 Hunt try, 14-0 Harrison con, 14-5 Atkin-Davies try, 14-10 Atkin-Davies try, 14-12 Reed con, 14-17 Keight try, 21-17 Pen try Saracens, 21-22 Atkin-Davies try, 21-24 Reed con, 21-29 Bonner try
Saracens: J Breach; C Grant (L Clapp 62), S Gregson (S Bridger 78), S McKenna, P Farries; Z Harrison, E Wyrwas (L Infante 65); M Hunt (A Gondwe 46), M Campbell (B Field 73), K Clifford (D Rose 56), M Evans (L McMillan 73), E Taylor, S de Goede, M Packer (c), P Cleall (S Kasolo 73)
YC: Infante 73, Taylor 74Bristol Bears: E Lovibond (M Smith 67); R Bonner, P Murray, H Aitchison, D Wills (C Keight 29); A Reed, K Bevan (L Burgess 79); S Pam, L Atkin-Davies, H Botterman, D Burns (H Cunningham 65), A Ward, A Joyce-Butchers, E Gallagher, R Marston-Mulhearn
YC: R Bonner 55
Reps Unused: J Sprague, H Phillips, E Marston-Mulhearn, G NigrelliGloucester-Hartpury 50 – 19 Exeter Chiefs
Scoring sequence: 5-0 George try, 7-0 Sing con, 12-0 Jones try, 17-0 George try, 19-0 Sing con, 24-0 Hendy try, 26-0 Sing con, 31-0 Muir try, 33-0 Sing con, 33-5 Johnson try, 33-7 Wilkins con, 38-7 Beckett try, 43-7 Sing try, 48-7 Tuipulotu try, 50-7 Sing con, 50-12 Moloney try, 50-14 Tessier con, 50-19 Buchanan try
Gloucester-Hartpury: E Sing; M Venner, H Jones (R Lund 53), T Heard, P Hendy; L George (M Hyett 64), N Hunt (B Blackburn 64); M Carson (E Perry 44), N Jones (A Dale 65), M Muir (C Castellucci 59), S Beckett (S Tuipulotu 59), S Monaghan (K Williams 53), G Brock, B Lewis, Z Aldcroft
Exeter Chiefs: A Tessier; K Buchanan, M Doidge, G Cantorna (N Brennan 34), E Sinclair; R Wilkins (T Bricknell 65), Brooke Bradley; D Swann (H Sams 62), E Tuttosi (C Moloney 52), D Menin (L Hanlon 62), L van der Velden, P Leitch, E Jefferies (M Feaunati 41), M Allen (H Millar-Mills 41), R Johnson (N Orchard 62)
