GIVE THEM AN INCH, THEY TAKE A MILE: Saracens v Exeter Chiefs PWR Semi-final

We talk to coaches and players from both Saracens and Exeter Chiefs to see what the difference will be that propels one of these form teams into the PWR final. Who will prevail from minute one to minute eighty?

Last time Saracens played Exeter Chiefs at the StoneX, on February 21^st 2026, the hosts won decisively – and clinically. The final score was 45-7. But a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, and Chiefs’ form has been spectacular, keeping them in the top three.

Talking first to Exeter, then Saracens, we get the measure of this eagerly awaited re-match. Same venue, but will it have a different outcome this time?

SCRUM HALF, FLO ROBINSON

For England and Chiefs star, Flo Robinson, playing international games is good, but she reckons “playing knockout rugby with your club, the people that you see every day, your best friends, is something else.”

When she looks across the season, she says it’s “really exciting to be able to do that with the team that you’ve been building with for the entire year.”

She isn’t taking anything for granted though, adding, “it could feel like you are really cohesive, it could feel really good and then we’ve been in that situation where we then get to the game and it hasn’t gone our way and we haven’t really fired a shot.”

For Robinson, there’s a lot of pressure, because it all comes down to that one game. She pauses,

“Well, hopefully two games…”

ATTACK COACH, OLI BISHOP

Having been with Chiefs for just over a year, Oli Bishop says they are changing the way they play. “We talk about being a bit more brave, being a bit more process-driven and a being able to go out and express yourself and we’ve done that the last three games. Let’s not change the recipe, let’s keep it the same.”

Bishop doesn’t feels that their match at Saracens earlier in the season represented them properly. He says: “We still created a huge amount of opportunities in that game when actually we weren’t playing at our best. Looking back at it now, there’s some easy fixes, but also there’s a huge amounts of potential in that game.”

He does, however, admit that “Sarries are a physical team, and they’ve got a lot of match day animals.”

HEAD COACH, STEVE SALVIN

For Chiefs head coach Steve Salvin, when you get to this semi-final stage, obviously the top two have home advantage, but you’re almost into a different competition now because it becomes purely knockout rugby.

Salvin says: “This is ultimately what we put a squad together for. It’s why we have a team. It’s why the girls are here.

“This has been the driving force behind everything we’ve done this year. So, I think it’d be fair to say they’re hugely motivated.”

Looking back at the last visit to StoneX, he admits there were definitely learnings that they took from that particular week.

“Our preparation wasn’t right. We, interestingly, actually didn’t start particularly slowly.

“We just weren’t particularly clinical. And Saracens were.”

At the time, he remembers saying something along the lines of “if you’re going to lose, this is the time to lose, because when it really matters is when you get to the playoffs.”

So although pragmatic Salvin realises that it was very disappointing in the moment, it was also a hugely valuable learning experience.

“So we feel very ready for this, and we’re in a really good place for it.

“But I don’t think we’re under any illusion… it’s going to be immensely difficult.”

HOOKER, EMILY TUTTOSI

Canada and Chiefs hooker Emily Tuttosi says the whole squad is buzzing. “Being in playoffs after not quite making it there last year is big for us.”

“We’ve been to a couple finals as a squad and we’ve fallen short. We’ve been to semis and fallen short. So we know there is pressure on this weekend.”

But, says Tuttosi, it’s also a privilege to be there. “And we’ve been working hard all season and hopefully we can put together a solid 80-minute performance.”

She’s not one to dwell on what’s happened in the past. “Everyone knows that it’s what happens for 80 minutes on the day. And I think the big thing for us is just being technical and physical for the whole 80 minutes.”

There’s no shying away, she says, from the fact that Chiefs at times this season, haven’t been consistent playing from the first whistle to the last. “And if we can do that, I think we put ourselves in a really good place.”

Perhaps they weren’t clinical enough at Saracens before, but this can stem from so many things. “It can be the details off strikes or open play or just general skills. We knew that we weren’t good enough.

“We also know that Saracens are a team that if you give them an inch, they take a mile.”

Tuttosi feels that Sarries’ main threat is when you let them get on top. So if they get that first quick ruck and it leads into a second or a third, that mixed with their offload game has been sucking in defenders and then getting it out wide.

“We’ve seen games,” says Tuttosi, “where their outside backs are getting four, five, six tries almost. That’s definitely a strength of theirs.

“If you can’t control the ruck at all, you know that they’re going to make you pay out wide.

“I think we just need to do what we do well and we need to be brave.

“But we know we have the skill set to do it we need to go for it and not play inside ourselves.”

WINGER, CLAUDIA MOLONEY MACDONALD

This has been some season for Red Roses and Chiefs winger, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald. Or as she puts it, “just being fortunate really and having fun and enjoying it.”

But she is quick to admit that the previous game against Saracens away, Chiefs were far from their best, and “you can see it in the result”.

“Saracens are one of those teams as well,” she says, “that when you give them opportunities into the game, when you give them momentum and allow them to gather that momentum, they can steamroll over any team.”

“They’re a very threatening team with brilliant players across the team.

“So we have to turn up from minute one of the game until minute 80. But I do think that first 10, 15 minutes is where the tone of the game gets set.

“We have an amazing pack that are able to put us on the front foot, and give us a platform into the game. Then some brilliant centres that can throw the ball wide and give me opportunities out on the wing.”

It’s no good just focusing on neutralising one Saracens player, though. “That’s the thing about Saracens. Obviously they’ve got brilliant players. But I think you have to deal with the whole team.”

Then again, Zoe Harrison at 10, says Moloney-MacDonald, has been an absolute mastermind. “So, there is an element of having to cut her down in terms of her game and trying not to allow her free rein over the pitch. Because she’s got a brilliant boot and a brilliant handling set alongside that.”

She admits they’ll have to front up physically against Sarries. “They’re incredibly physical.”

“Each of us has to go in with the mentality and the mindset that we’re as good and if not better than our opposite number.

“And if we can go in with that confidence, and stamp our stamp our style of rugby on the game we’ll see what happens…”

How do Saracens feel about getting to the sharp end of the season?

HEAD COACH, ALEX AUSTERBERRY

For Saracens head coach Alex Austerberry, knockout rugby is something quite unique and special. And although he says it’s going to be a great day of rugby for the PWR and for the game, “hopefully I want it to be just a day about Saracens being successful, to be honest.”

For him, all the hard work of 16 rounds and 40-odd weeks in, comes down to one game.

“It is a very different beast. You can be one and done or you can win it all.

“So I think that does bring a different approach, different mentality and a different pressure.”

He’s taking nothing from their previous match, declaring that sometimes the scorelines are not necessarily reflective of the battle that’s gone.

“One thing that history teaches me is that our games against Exeter are hard-fought, and that’s exactly what I expect this weekend.

“I expect, as I would against any Exeter team, and certainly one that Steve’s coaching, they’re going to be physical, they’re going to be well-drilled, and it’s going to be a battle, and it literally is the one who takes it on.”

Austerberry says we overcomplicate rugby at times.

“It’ll come down to speed and quality of ball and consistently winning the collisions.

“But can you get a platform for a tackle for your set piece? Can you disrupt theirs?”

“I imagine that they’re looking to probably spoil around the breakdown. So if that’s done legally, illegally, we’ve still got to make sure that we manage it so we don’t put it into the hands of officials to deal with.

“So the collision area is going to be pretty key, and set piece. That’s probably what every coach across the country says.

Win collisions, sort your set piece out. Job’s a good ‘un.

SCRUM HALF, LIV APPS

Canadian and Saracens scrum-half – and PWR Player of the Season – Liv Apps knows that Exeter have a strong, experienced side, including a handful of fellow Canadians.

“They have a really good balance of strength in their forward pack. Then also their backs are very threatening. So for us, any mistake we make, they will for sure capitalise on that with their set piece.”

Casting her expert eye at their two games against Exeter earlier this season, Apps says their scrum, their line-out is definitely really strong.

“I think they’re going to be really smart, and we have to make sure we take care of the ball and take every opportunity when we get it because those errors will compound.

“I think Exeter really take advantage of that. Their pack is really threatening.

“They have backs, they have Alex Tessier who captained our [Canada] World Cup team. She’s a very threatening player.”

“For us,” says Apps, “it’ll just be making sure that we stay diligent with our set piece and not give away too many penalties and the fewer errors, the better”.

And though Apps feels like the last match against Chiefs was “forever ago”, she knows they must use the first 20 minutes of the game to really focus on imposing themselves and setting the tone of what they want to do…

“Then hopefully after that it’ll just take care of itself…”

Saracens v Exeter Chiefs, PWR semi-final, Sunday 14 June, 4.30pm at StoneX stadium. Or watch live on TNT Sport.