100 games for Chiefs Women

Exeter Chiefs Women will play their 100th league or cup game when they take on Bristol Bears in the PWR on Saturday.

The women’s team was formed in 2019 with current head coach Susie Appleby the driving force behind its inception having helped set up Gloucester-Hartpury in 2014.

Appleby said: “I was attracted to Exeter Chiefs because of their fantastic reputation and what they had achieved with the men’s team. There was a clear appetite and enthusiasm to accommodate a women’s team, just as long as we were competitive, which I think we have achieved!”

Since arriving at Sandy Park, Appleby has persuaded more than 100 different players to play for Chiefs in the last four seasons with eight original players still with the women’s side in its fifth year.

Gabby Cantorna, Merryn Doidge, Ebony Jefferies, Poppy Leitch, Flo Robinson, Eilidh Sinclair, Emily Tuttosi and Linde van der Velden continue to rack up the appearances with Leitch leading the way.

Appleby has also tapped into rich sources of local talent from the region’s junior clubs with Exeter Saracens producing Leitch, Abby Middlebrooke and Lucy Nye from the current squad along with Danielle Preece from Exmouth, Kayleigh Priest and Hannah Sams from Kingsbridge, Merryn Doidge from both Liskeard-Looe and Newquay, Clara Nielson from Tavistock, and Jefferies from Truro.

The rugby programmes at Exeter College and the University of Exeter have also provided a lucrative talent pathway that has seen Maisy Allen, Naomi Brennan, Katie Buchanan, Ellie Cunningham, Sophie Langford, Nancy McGillivray, Niamh Orchard, Kate Smith and Millie Whitehouse all come through the ranks to make up a significant proportion of the 2024/25 squad.

The university programme, headed up Leitch, sees younger squad members play in the BUCS league on a Wednesday or for Exeter Athletic at weekends to ensure they get enough game-time.