| Venue: Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester Date: Saturday, 24 June Kick off: 15:30 BST |
| Coverage: Watch on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website; live text commentary on BBC Sport website |
There will be a new name etched on the Premier 15s trophy this weekend – and a non-London champion for the first time in the league’s six-year history.
First-time finalists Gloucester-Hartpury and last year’s runners-up Exeter Chiefs will also be battling it out for south-west bragging rights at Kingsholm Stadium, which has been rebranded as ‘Queensholm’ for the occasion.
Only Saracens and Harlequins have previously won the English title since the league’s inauguration in 2017.
While the ground hosting this year’s showpiece may have been renamed, it still offers a home advantage for Gloucester, who will be backed by the majority of the 8,000 fans that have bought tickets.
Team news
Gloucester finished top of the table in the regular season and beat rivals Bristol Bears in the last four to reach their first Premier 15s final.
The Cherry and Whites are unchanged from the side that overcame Bristol and co-captain Natasha Hunt says her side’s consistency has been the key to their campaign.
“It’s just awesome,” said scrum-half Hunt. “The girls have been class this year. Whether that’s in the gym, on the pitch or in our downtime, the energy around the group is awesome.
“It’s class that we have got ourselves to the final. When you are so consistent throughout the season, you want to give yourself a shot in the final.
“We have been working hard to put everything out there on Saturday.”
Exeter have the edge in big-match experience, having reached last year’s Premier 15s final where they were beaten by Saracens – and also won two Allianz Cups.
Chiefs gained revenge against Sarries with victory in this year’s play-off semi-final – and have largely stuck with the same team for the trip to Gloucester.
Irish flanker Edel McMahon is in the only change in the pack as she replaces Abbie Fleming, while fit-again England international Claudia MacDonald is named on the wing instead of Katie Buchanan.
Chiefs’ assistant coach Steve Salvin says the club are looking to go one better than last year and add another trophy to their cabinet.
“I’ll be honest, we weren’t ready to win it last year,” said Salvin. “We had built huge momentum up through the [Allianz Cup] run and that kind of carried us through the regular season and then to beating Bristol in the semi-final.
“After that, we didn’t really have the cohesion or the resilience to react to Saracens and the challenge they brought that day.
“This year has been a lot different, we’ve had to deal with a lot more adversity this time. We’ve had much tougher tests running into this final, we even lost a couple of games, but the girls have kept working incredibly hard and doing everything we have asked of them.
“We’re under no illusions, we know this weekend is going to be just as tough. [Gloucester] have had a fantastic season and they recruited very well last summer with some of the players they brought in.
“We fully understand we can win it this weekend, but we can also lose it, it’s what happens in that 80 minutes. As I said, though, the experience of last year sets us up nicely.”
Slavin has been given a formal warning by the Rugby Football Union for his behaviour towards match officials, following an event in the tunnel at Sandy Park during the semi-final.
Meanwhile, Gloucester players will donate their match fees from the final to Ed Slater’s motor neurone disease (MND) campaign.
The 4Ed fund was set up by the former Gloucester lock last year following his diagnosis of MND which led to his retirement from rugby.
It aims to raise funds for Slater’s treatment and to support his family, while also raising awareness of MND. The idea to donate the fees came from Gloucester-Hartpury prop Kathryn Buggy.
Who are the stars to watch?
Both sides have plenty of international experience to call upon.
Natasha Hunt is an experienced operator for club and country at nine and she is key to injecting momentum in Gloucester’s attack.
The diminutive ball-player reads the game brilliantly and adds a dynamism that brings her team-mates into the game. She will be Gloucester’s one to watch during the final.
For Exeter, the big boost is the return of Claudia MacDonald from injury.
The England wing, who can also operate at scrum-half, has speed to burn and played an influential role as the Red Roses won the Grand Slam earlier this year.
