Harlequins Women’s back-rower Emily Chancellor is ready for this weekend’s ‘Game Changer’ event, as her side take on Wasps Women at the Twickenham Stoop. The Australian international believes that Harlequins can re-ignite their Allianz Premier 15s campaign, and start the climb back up the table and into the play-off places.
Harlequins Women are just four points outside of the play-off places, as they sit in fifth place in the Premier 15s table. Chancellor believes that this is a golden opportunity for Quins to stamp their authority ahead of the final weeks, and finish in the top four come the end of the season.
“Yeah, I think we’re really excited. Firstly, to re-kick off the Premier 15 season after the Six Nations break, you know, it’s a long time of training and the anticipation builds. And to top it off, to know that we’ve got sort of a festival of rugby, an event to stand alone and celebrate the inclusive game that we play, is a great way to bring it all back into action.
“We’ve got a big four final games in the season. So we’ve been focused, this week’s theme has been fast and furious. We want to be scoring points, we want to be running everywhere, we want to keep the momentum focused on us. Because we’re kind of in control of our own destiny in the lead up to making that semi-final spot, and every point counts for us. So it’s been all hands on deck to try and focus on on that full 80 minute performance.”
The Allianz Premier 15s was put on hold for the 2023 TikTok Women’s Six Nations, which halted the momentum of all the club sides throughout the division. However, the break was a welcomed one for Harlequins, who took back-to-back defeats to Exeter Chiefs and Bristol Bears back in March. The Quins Women have not played since the 11th of March, Chancellor knows that they are ready for the final sprint to the play-off places.
“We’ve done our calculations. Yes, we haven’t had the perfect performances in the last few games before the Six Nations break. But with the run we’ve got in for the final four, we’re doing everything we can to put our best foot forward. We know our team on paper is unbelievable.
“We just got to put the performances on to prove that. Knowing that we’re playing an important game, the Game Changer at home, we’ve got two or four games at the stoop. We need our crowds to be there, to help cheer us on and get us over the line.
“Because any bonus point victory, any bonus point loss, they’re all going to be crucial. And to be fair, so is our ‘for and against’ so when we’re scoring tries, we need to score more tries!”
Wasps Women enter the Game Changer as underdogs, who have persevered to survive the Premier 15s campaign after a turbulent season in the top flight. Due to the obvious off-field issues at Wasps, the Women’s side have failed to record a single victory this season, but Chancellor recognises how a ‘nothing to lose’ mentality can sometimes be an advantage in big games.
“There’s still a team that you have to respect. The beauty of the premier team Competition is (that) no win as an easy win, or a guaranteed win. You know, they have had some really unfortunate circumstances this year. But I think the credit has to go to the players in the Wasps programme who have committed to being there, and have really taken the experience and the opportunity in both hands and are really making the most of a season.
“And you have to give credit to the players there. There are some really strong individuals and they do have some great team moments, and set piece and bits and pieces that are definitely threats to us.
The RFU have confirmed that the 2023/24 Premier 15s season will be reduced down to eight teams, as the Women’s teams for Wasps, Worcester Warriors, Sale and DMP Durham Sharks have had their league applications rejected. Ealing Trailfinders and Leicester Tigers are set to make their Premier 15s debut’s next season. The 31-year-old Quins star realises the effort the Wasps players are putting in, and won’t take them lightly in tomorrow’s game.
“No team has taken for granted and an outfit like Wasps, with you their last four games ever in Premier 15s, for the foreseeable future, I should probably say. They definitely have got nothing to lose, so you have to respect every opposition. And we’re definitely going into the game respecting what Wasps are going to throw at us.”
