Chiefs' women through to semi-finals!

Reigning champions one step from final

Exeter Chiefs’ women are celebrating after making it through the pool stage of the Allianz Cup pool after beating Harlequins at Sandy Park.

Following their late comeback at Gloucester in the last cup game, the Chiefs had control of their group going into the fixture.

Now the reigning cup holders are one step away from making it through to another final.

It was a wet afternoon, but the crowd was happy during what was a generally match of equals.

The Exeter Chiefs regained possession straight away following the kick off, with an immediate break through by full back Merryn Doige. However, a try-saving tackle from Harlequins' Freya Aucken prevented an early Exeter try. 

The Chiefs inevitable breakthrough came in the sixth minute as Exeter’s centre Maisy Allen opened the scoring with a great try following a line-out which was converted by Liv McGoverne.

Chiefs were all over Harlequins when it came to set pieces and although they kept winning penalties, nothing really came from them.

After a quiet spell, a high challenge gifted Quins a penalty in front of the Exeter posts, which Harlequins' fly-half Ellie Green scored.

The greatest tempo was shown by Exeter Chiefs in the first 20 minutes, but this changed as Harlequins became more aggressive in the final stages of the first half.

After an Exeter player missed the ball, Harlequins' Freya Aucken took the opportunity to steal the ball and bag a try, putting the visitors into a one-point lead.

The second half got off to a lively start, with strong challenges on both sides, but Quins got an advantage as Chiefs' prop Lizzie Hanlon was given a yellow card for stopping a quick tap penalty. 

Another penalty for Harlequins was once again directly in front of the posts, and once again a simple kick unlikely to be missed, as Chiefs were penalised for holding on.  

But the game then turned on its head, in a second half which the Chiefs dominated, with two impressive tries within 10 minutes -firstly from driving the ball from a line out, then a ruck. Clara Nielson got both.

Full time: Exeter Chiefs 19 Harlequins 11