MATCH REPORT | Exeter Chiefs Women 7-57 Saracens Women (Allianz PWR Rd 16)
Some days, everything just seems to click. That was exactly what happened in Devon, as Saracens romped to a first-ever victory at Sandy Park.
Coming off the back of a stop-start victory over Sale last weekend, Sarries raced out of the traps, with Ella Wyrwas feeding Sydney Gregson off the base of the maul for the centre to power over under the posts.
Sarries were continuing to keep Exeter pinned back, with Zoe Harrison kicking superbly to the corners.
It was only a matter of time before Sarries had a second too, with the pack going to work at the maul, before Donna Rose spotted a gap and muscled her way over for the second score of the afternoon.
Exeter came back into things, as they powered towards the Sarries line, but the defence held firm in sublime fashion to hold the ball up in the Devon sun.
Having ridden out the Exeter pressure, Sarries put their foot to the accelerator again, with Harrison and Wyrwas combining with Sarah McKenna to release Coreen Grant out wide for a beautiful try.
Sarries were enjoying themselves now, with McKenna reading an Exeter pass in midfield to perfection, to intercept and race in unopposed for the bonus-point score.
Straight from the restart, Sarries thought they were in again, as May Campbell and Poppy Cleall combined to release Jess Breach, only for the try to be chalked off for a forward pass.
Exeter were continuing to try and find pockets of space, but each time they did, they came up against a wall of Saracens players that simply refused to budge.
After McKenna had secured a crucial turnover for her side, Harrison kicked to the corner again, with Wyrwas and Gregson recreating their earlier double act for the centre to scythe through again.
There was still time for one final try before the half was done as well, with a quickly taken penalty allowing Wyrwas to add a try to her brace of first-half assists out wide.
Harrison continued to be metronomic off the tee, as her side continued to apply the pressure at the start of the second-half.
With Exeter trying to hold back the wave of Saracens attacks, they then turned the screw themselves, as they began to pepper the Saracens line.
Eventually, the pressure told with Georgia Evans seeing yellow, but her teammates held out with the flanker off the pitch, to snaffle back the ball and clear long.
Exeter then lost Cli Moloney to the bin for a high and late shot on Akina Gondwe and Sarries took full advantage, with Player of the Match McKenna finding a way through the defence and racing clear, combining with Campbell to set Wyrwas free for her second of the afternoon.
The hosts responded soon after as Katie Buchanan latched onto a crossfield kick, but Sarries were in no mood to let-up.
With Evans back on the field, she raced away through the Exeter defence, working the ball out to McKenna to muscle over and bring up 50.
Evans was beginning to gallop through the Exeter defence now, leaving defenders in her wake and her side made sure they had one final say to round off a stunning afternoon too, as Bryony Field crashed over from the back of the maul, to ensure that Sarries left the Sandy Park crowd stunned, after an incredible team display that washed away any previous results in the West Country.
