Premier 15s: Harlequins and Saracens remain unbeaten

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Vicky FleetwoodImage source, Lara Miller Photography
Image caption,

Vicky Fleetwood crossed twice for Saracens who remain unbeaten in Premier 15s

Harlequins and Saracens maintained their unbeaten starts in the Premier 15s after matchday four.

Quins stay top of the table on points difference after beating Darlington Mowden Park Sharks 50-21 while Sarries beat Worcester Warriors 55-3.

Wasps remain third after beating Bristol 18-10 but Gloucester-Hartpury's 31-21 win over Richmond sees them equal on points.

Loughborough Lightning sealed a massive 91-10 victory over Waterloo.

Women's rugby reporter Adam Zoltie at Allianz Park

If you were to ask anyone within Saracens' camp, many would agree that they have been off colour for the opening games of this campaign. Against Worcester that changed.

The reigning champions are renowned for their aggressive pack dominance. However, today they effortlessly combined brute force with rapid passing and breakneck wide play.

The home side set the tone early with their forwards eating up territory before Sarah McKenna dotted down within a minute following a slick backs move. From there, it was much of the same throughout the first half with five women in black crossing the whitewash. Marlie Packer made a nuisance of herself and Scottish fly-half Lisa Martin ensured the pace and flow of the game remained a constant.

Alex Austerberry introduced a number of young players to gain valuable minutes, but it was another Red Rose - Vicky Fleetwood - who scored a double after the break to kill off Warriors. Saracens were very much in control for the lion's share of the match and, with eight different scorers, this may well be the game their season really kicks into gear.

Saracens ran in nine tries against Worcester to earn their fourth straight bonus-point win at Allianz Park, and despite going in at half-time with a 29-3 lead Sarries did not let up.

They struggled last week against Loughborough but tries from Fleetwood (2), Packer, Sarah McKenna, Lotte Clapp, Rachel Laqeretabua, May Campbell, Rocky Clark and Sonia Green plus five conversions from Lisa Martin secured the win.

Worcester could not keep pace with their only points coming through a Meghan Goddard penalty in the 30th minute.

Elsewhere, Harlequins cemented their position at the top of the table claiming a fourth successive bonus-point win.

Shaunagh Brown scored twice for Quins in a 50-21 victory over Darlington Mowden Park Sharks.

Gloucester-Hartpury bounced back from last week's defeat at Harlequins to beat Richmond 31-21, with Kelly Smith scoring two first-half tries.

Claudia McDonald scored the winning try for Wasps in their victory at Bristol to end the hosts' two-game winning streak.

Waterloo lost their fourth straight Premier 15s match as Loughborough's dominant performance was too much for the visitors.

Emily Scarratt - who used to captain the Team GB women's sevens - was amongst the try scorers for Loughborough.