How did Gloucester-Hartpury and Saracens qualified for the PWR Final 2025

Saracens 32 Harlequins 24

Saracens booked their place in the Premiership Women's Rugby final, winning a thrilling contest 32-24 against rivals Harlequins at the StoneX Stadium.

A stunning individual effort from Jess Breach, alongside a brace from Alysha Corrigan and tries from Marlie Packer and May Campbell, was enough for the home side to come out on top in the battle between the league's second- and third-placed teams at the end of the regular season.

Saracens will now play the winners of reigning champions Gloucester-Hartpury and Bristol Bears on 16th March in the final back at the StoneX.

Harlequins opened the scoring inside two minutes through Claudia Pena as the 20-year-old Spanish international went over in the corner having being played in by Danelle Lochner following a nice Quins move from right to left.

Zoe Harrison opened Saracens’ account with a fifth-minute penalty before Corrigan dotted down in the right corner three minutes later to move the hosts ahead for the first time.

The back-and-forth nature of the match continued as Quins retook the lead through full-back Ellie Kildunne on 15 minutes. 

The England international crossed over the whitewash out wide before smartly running closer to the posts to give Lagi Tuima an easier kick for the extras which she duly converted.

The pick of the tries came midway through the first half via a brilliant slaloming run from Breach.

Fresh from a long injury layoff, Breach received the ball deep inside her own territory before fending off multiple attempts to stop her from the Quins defence on her way to scoring for the first time this season.

Former England captain scored Packer crashed over for Saracens on 24 minutes following a strong drive five yards out.  Harrison’s conversion ensured the home side’s lead was extended to eight points at half-time.

In contrast to the opening 40 minutes, the second half did not see a point registered until 20 minutes in when substitute Torley finished off a sweeping Quins move with a powerful diagonal run to the corner to reduce their arrears to just three points.

However, Saracens landed what turned out to be a fatal double blow just minutes later. Breach combined with Corrigan for her second try of the game on 63 minutes before Campbell scored close to the posts after Packer’s crucial interception from Kildunne created the chance.

The current World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year nearly made amends with a strong tackle on Georgia Evans but was unable to stop Campbell from going over moments later.

Harrison added the extra two for her second conversion of the game and despite a 71st-minute try from Babalwa Latsha, Saracens held on to win 32-24 and secure their place in the PWR final.

Gloucester-Hartpury 36 Bristol Bears 20

Gloucester-Hartpury will have the chance to make it a hat-trick of Premiership Women’s Rugby titles as they booked their spot in the final against Saracens with a 36-20 win over Bristol Bears.

The Circus trailed 10-0 early on as the visitors dominated the opening stages, and the game was tight until quarter of an hour to go when Hannah Jones’ scored the try that finally ended Bristol's hopes.

Bears started brilliantly when Atkin-Davies got over for her 11th try of the season from a rolling maul after 15 minutes; it was reward for almost total domination of possession and territory.

And on 24 minutes, they were in again, with the same formula, a rolling maul on the left this time as Atkin-Davies got over for her second of the afternoon.

Gloucester-Hartpury had barely got into Bears territory but took advantage of their first real chance. It came from a brilliant charge by Alex Matthews off the back of a scrum, with El Perry eventually powering over from close range. Emma Sing missed a kickable conversion and Bristol led 10-5 approaching the half-hour.

It was the spark that they needed a Queensholm, and after Lleucu George was stopped just short of the line, the ball was recycled for Sarah Beckett to dive over unchallenged. From out wide, Sing adjusted her radar and put the home side in front 12-10.

The momentum had clearly swung, and life got even harder for Bears just before half-time when Evie Gallagher was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle on Pip Hendy, giving the Circus a final chance before the break.

They did not need a second invitation, a good rolling maul set up the backs for Sing to go over after a good wide pass from George. She converted her own try and the defending champions led 19-10 at the break.

Bears needed to strike first in the second half and they did just that, Ilona Maher crashed over in the left corner after they had worked their way into Gloucester territory despite being down a player.

Under pressure, the champions turned to the England captain Zoe Aldcroft for inspiration and she powered over from close range, with Sing’s conversion allowing them to go 26-15 ahead.

Still, Bristol kept coming, Millie David somehow finishing on the right as she touched down despite the attentions of two tacklers, making it a one-score game once again.

It was then that Jones struck, racing over from 30 metres out for the crucial score, Sing’s conversion leaving Bears with a mountain to climb, a task that became even more difficult when she added another penalty that effectively sealed the win.

They will now head to the StoneX Stadium for the final on 16 March against Saracens as they look to make it three in a row in PWR.