Gloucester-Hartpury solidified their grip on top spot in the Women's Premiership with a convincing 45-26 victory over Loughborough. The seven-try triumph marked a welcome return to action for the reigning champions after a six-week break, as they reclaimed pole position and left rivals Saracens trailing in their wake.
A hat-trick from Wales international Nel Metcalfe proved pivotal to the hosts' success, as she showcased her growing confidence on the pitch. "She has come on strides," said hooker Kelsey Jones, who scored Gloucester's fourth try of the afternoon. "I think you can see that confidence growing in her game... She wants to take defenders on, she wants to create space as well."
With this victory, Gloucester extended their unbeaten run and moved five points clear of Saracens at the top of the table. The defending champions are now 12 points ahead of the rest of the chasing pack, with many expecting them to make a strong bid for a fourth consecutive title.
The success of Gloucester-Hartpury was not limited to the pitch, as fans packed into Kingsholm and Trailfinders witnessed an impressive turnout, with over 2,200 in attendance. The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, with supporters braving the rain to catch a glimpse of their team in action.
Meanwhile, other teams are still jostling for top-four spots, with Bristol ending their winless streak in dramatic fashion and Leicester's woes continuing unabated as Exeter inflicted a 36-0 defeat. As the battle for the title heats up, Gloucester remain the team to beat, but will need to maintain their momentum if they are to successfully defend their crown.
The success of Gloucester-Hartpury has given Wales supporters some cause for optimism ahead of the Women's Six Nations in two months' time. The performances of players such as Metcalfe and Jones have hinted at a bright future for Welsh rugby, with many expecting them to make a strong impact on the international stage.
With John Mitchell at the helm, England is also expected to make a strong showing in the tournament. The coach's long-term contract extension has boosted morale among fans, and the team will be eager to seal their third Six Nations title under his leadership.
A hat-trick from Wales international Nel Metcalfe proved pivotal to the hosts' success, as she showcased her growing confidence on the pitch. "She has come on strides," said hooker Kelsey Jones, who scored Gloucester's fourth try of the afternoon. "I think you can see that confidence growing in her game... She wants to take defenders on, she wants to create space as well."
With this victory, Gloucester extended their unbeaten run and moved five points clear of Saracens at the top of the table. The defending champions are now 12 points ahead of the rest of the chasing pack, with many expecting them to make a strong bid for a fourth consecutive title.
The success of Gloucester-Hartpury was not limited to the pitch, as fans packed into Kingsholm and Trailfinders witnessed an impressive turnout, with over 2,200 in attendance. The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, with supporters braving the rain to catch a glimpse of their team in action.
Meanwhile, other teams are still jostling for top-four spots, with Bristol ending their winless streak in dramatic fashion and Leicester's woes continuing unabated as Exeter inflicted a 36-0 defeat. As the battle for the title heats up, Gloucester remain the team to beat, but will need to maintain their momentum if they are to successfully defend their crown.
The success of Gloucester-Hartpury has given Wales supporters some cause for optimism ahead of the Women's Six Nations in two months' time. The performances of players such as Metcalfe and Jones have hinted at a bright future for Welsh rugby, with many expecting them to make a strong impact on the international stage.
With John Mitchell at the helm, England is also expected to make a strong showing in the tournament. The coach's long-term contract extension has boosted morale among fans, and the team will be eager to seal their third Six Nations title under his leadership.
45-26 over loughborough is crazy! nel metcalfe's hat-trick was clutch tho 
kelsey jones said she's growing in confidence and it shows 
fans are hyped too, trailfinders stadium was electric 
οΈ now saracens are trailing, gotta keep up the momentum if they wanna defend their title 
Nel Metcalfe is literally a goddess on the pitch! her confidence is growing every game and its so inspiring to watch she's gonna take the rugby world by storm! 
those tries were EVERYTHING!!! i was at the match and it was ELECTRIC!! over 2k fans braving the rain to cheer on our gloucester girls... i wept tears of joy 
saracens better step up their game or theyre gonna get left behind! 
Her confidence is shining through in every match, and it's awesome to see her making a statement on the pitch. The atmosphere at Kingsholm was electric too - 2,200 fans braving the rain for their team? That's dedication 
. Gloucester are looking strong as ever, but I'm loving the optimism around Wales rugby too 
. Those players are going to make a killer Six Nations squad with Metcalfe and Jones leading the charge 
. Can't wait to see how it all unfolds 
her confidence is growing and it's amazing to watch. Kelsey Jones is giving props to Metcalfe and I gotta agree, she's coming along so well. Gloucester-Hartpury is looking strong 
and that win has given them a huge boost. 2,200 fans showing up in the rain? insane 
anyway saracens are lagging behind and i think it's gonna be tough for them to catch up 
but gloucester-hartpury seems solid atm 
The crowd at Kingsholm must've been electric 
, with Metcalfe and Jones killing it on the pitch. Definitely keeping an eye on John Mitchell's England squad - think they're gonna smash it in the Six Nations 
i love how confident she looks out there, it's infectious! 
and can we talk about the atmosphere at Kingsholm? over 2k fans braving the rain? that's dedication 
nel metcalfe's hat-trick might've been fun, but have you seen the number of concussions reported in women's premiership games lately? it's alarming. fans packing into kingsholm was cute, but with ticket prices this high, a lot of people can't afford to watch live rugby matches 
[ 
]
] [ 
]
]
οΈ ] [ 
]
. Like, what's next? Are we gonna start worrying about who scores the most tries? It's just a game, you know? 
And don't even get me started on how overhyped it is right now. "Gloucester-Hartpury are the team to beat" - yeah, sure, because that's not always true and it'll all go wrong next week or something 
. I mean, what about Bristol who just ended their winless streak? Suddenly they're not worth paying attention to anymore? 
And don't even get me started on the Welsh team being a "bright future" because of this one game... like, calm down, guys 
, she's definitely got the skills to back up her confidence. And can we talk about the atmosphere at Kingsholm? Over 2,200 fans braved the rain for that electric energy 
- it's clear the team has a loyal fanbase that's all in for them.
. And let's be real, 12 points clear of Saracens? That's a solid foundation for a title defense! 
]
]
]
οΈ! Can't wait for the Women's Six Nations to see what these talented Welsh players have to offer 
! Her confidence on the pitch is shining through, and it's awesome to see her growth as a player. Kelsey Jones' praise for her teammate is spot on too - that confidence is contagious! The atmosphere at Kingsholm was electric 
Fans are loving it and it's great to see the team performing well 
And with John Mitchell at the helm, England is looking strong too 
i'm loving the vibe at kingsholm too, 2200 fans in attendance is a testament to how passionate these rugby fans are 
the atmosphere at kingsholm was electric, like i would've loved to be there