By Charlie Elliott
Playoff fever has reached the PWR, as the top four teams battle it out for a place in this year’s final with two derbies taking place this weekend, to decide who will battle it out for the Championship.
Star Ilona Maher will make her PWR playoff debut against Bristol Bears’ familiar foes, Gloucester-Hartpury while current World Player of the Year, Harlequins’ Ellie Kildunne must travel away to the StoneX Stadium against Saracens.
A rare occasion in which two of the biggest names in the sport are underdogs, whatever happens this weekend will be a brilliant spectacle.
Saracens v Harlequins
A London derby is the first of the two fixtures in a weekend expected to feature some of the finest rugby ever seen in the PWR, given the growing nature of the women’s game.
Saracens and Harlequins finished second and third in the league, with the hosts ending the regular season a pretty convincing seven points ahead of their opponents.
It helped that the last game of the season for the former was against lowly Sale Sharks, with a win all that was required.
It will be a repeat of the 2020/21 final in which Harlequins saw off the same opposition 25-17 to lift their first and only title since the restructuring in 2017.
The most recent PWR winners of the two are the hosts though, as they battered Exeter Chiefs a year later 43-21 to claim their third success in five years, at the time.
Both have struggled compared to the glory days in recent years and the past couple of years have been dominated by teams from the south-west.
For all the titles, one thing that Sarries don’t have which Quins do, is the current best player in the world.
Versatile back Ellie Kildunne is the most recent winner of the World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year award and can be considered as the best around.
She has the ability to change games on her own, with her electrifying pace and devastating running.
Interestingly, in both games of the regular season campaign, the away side won.
Harlequins edged out a 15-14 win at the start of the season while Saracens got an impressive 33-10 victory at the end of January.
Held at the StoneX Stadium in Hendon, it will be a closely fought game between two historic rivals.
Gloucester-Hartpury v Bristol Bears
Everyone knows that there is one real star in the PWR, and she will take to the field to try and defeat the back-to-back champions.
Ilona Maher is a superstar and has the rugby ability to back up the hype.
Since joining Bristol Bears in January, she has been gradually getting better as she has adjusted to 15s and to the PWR very impressively.
Above all, she has brought a buzz around the women’s game that has never been seen before and is much needed, especially in a World Cup year.
The whole reason behind Maher’s transfer to the PWR is so she can be properly prepared for Team USA’s World Cup campaign in England this summer. A victory at club level is the perfect way to set herself up for Test glory.
It will not be easy for them, with Gloucester-Hartpury having stormed to a first-placed finish and looking confident doing so.
Their player to watch is Emma Sing, a full-back who is unbelievable from the tee, while also being solid in every other aspect on the field.
She is a great defender and runner, and her side has won back-to-back PWR titles.
Aside from the obvious local rivalry that exists between the two, it is a repeat of last year’s final, in which Gloucester won 36-24.
Fourth away at first can sometimes be a foregone conclusion in the semis, but with Maher in the team, anything can happen.
Bristol will be out for revenge but won’t have it easy.
READ MORE: Gloucester-Hartpury hitting form at the right time – Sarah Beckett
