Saracens crush Exeter 43-21 to regain Premier 15s title

England forward Marlie Packer scored two tries as Saracens proved too strong for Exeter in the Premier 15s final at Worcester's Sixways.

Packer crossed for her first try after five minutes, powering through the fringe defence from close range.

Back-row colleague Vicky Fleetwood followed suit before Packer muscled over again on the stroke of half-time.

Jennine Detiveaux scored Exeter's second to briefly hint at a comeback, but they could not reel Saracens in.

Exeter brought the majority of the 3,238-strong crowd up the M5 motorway to Sixways, but their attempt to break up the Saracens-Harlequins duopoly on the Premier 15s title fell some way short in the final reckoning.

The two London clubs have contested all three previous finals in the tournament's short history and Saracens' experience of the biggest stage showed with a performance of power and precision that squeezed the life out of a spirited Exeter.

Packer ended the afternoon with the player-of-the-match champagne as well as the Premier 15s trophy and Exeter could never contain a performance that ranked alongside her barnstorming best.

The 32-year-old crossed twice in the first half as Saracens' quick-tempo ball prevented Exeter re-setting after initial line breaks.

Exeter were never deterred, flying up fast in defence and chancing their arm in attack. Fly-half Patricia Garcia, playing her final game before retirement, summed up their spirit as she danced through the cover defence to get her side on the board in the first half.

Packer won the player of the match award after a performance decorated with two tries

However, the game turned within seconds of the second-half restart. Exeter allowed the ball to bounce, Poppy Cleall snatched Holly Aitchison's kick and, within a minute, Mackenzie Carson had gone over to put Saracens 31-7 up.

Detiveaux dived over at the end of a sumptuous move, started by centre Gabby Cantorna's outside break and supported by good play from Garcia and McKinley Hunt, to breathe life into Exeter's hopes, if briefly.

But Saracens' advantage was too big and their purpose too clear to be denied.

Hooker May Campbell and wing Alysha Campbell crossed to restore and then extend the frontrunners' advantage.

Ebony Jefferies' smart blind-side break gave Exeter's travelling support a final cheer, but Saracens had long since ensured they would take nothing else back to the south west.

'Marlie is one of the best players in the world'

Saracens' fly-half Holly Aitchison: "I don't know how to put it into words. It has been a really long year and we have had a lot of injuries, but I am so proud of the group and thrilled to get the win today.

"It is definitely settling to have people like Marlie Packer, Poppy Cleall and Hannah Botterman around. Marlie is in such good form, she is one of the best players in the world at the moment. Having players like that around you makes my job a lot easier.

"I have been really lucky with the opportunities that I have had this season. I have found my feet in the 15-a-side game having not played in four or five years before this."

Exeter: Doidge; Sinclair, Kobayashi, Cantorna, Detiveaux; Garcia, Robinson; Rogers, Tuttosi, Menin, Fryday, Van der Velden, Leitch (co-capt), Johnson, Zackary (co-capt).

Replacements Nielson, Hunt, Roberts, Senft, Jefferies, Bradley, Foster, McGillivray

Saracens: McKenna; Corrigan, Wardle, Kelter, Clapp (co-capt); Aitchison, Wyrwas; Botterman, Campbell, Clifford, McIntosh, P Cleall, Carson, Fleetwood, Packer (co-capt)

Replacements: Evans, Rose, Ellis, Green, Evans, Goddard, Casey, Vaughan-Fowler