Trailfinders in play-offs by ending Gloucester's unbeaten run

Trailfinders booked their place in the Premiership Women's Rugby play-offs by ending three-time defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury's 14-game unbeaten run.

England international Meg Jones inspired the hosts, who claimed a statement 41-39 victory against the league leaders as PWR resumed after a two-month break during which the Red Roses secured their eighth successive Women's Six Nations title.

The result moved Trailfinders into the fourth and final play-off spot with one round of the regular season remaining.

Trailfinders made a bright start and opened the scoring when Georgia Ponsonby went over from a driving maul but Emma Sing, Kelsey Jones and Mia Venner scored tries as Gloucester raced into a 15-7 lead.

However, it was Trailifinders who led 17-15 at the break with Alivia Leatherman and Haidee Head both touching down.

Jones then set up Ella Amory to extend their lead after the restart, but Gloucester's Beth Lewis reduced the gap to four points.

Emma Uren and Carys Cox increased Trailfinders' advantage to 38-22, capitalising as the visitors had two players in the sin-bin.

Lewis, Neve Jones and Abigail Pritchard scored tries as Gloucester threatened a late comeback, but Trailfinders, who added a Rosie Inman penalty, held on to reach the semi-finals.

On Saturday, Exeter Chiefs secured third place in the PWR table with a 57-5 win over second-bottom Bristol Bears.

Looking to build on their 16th-round win over Harlequins, the Bears made a disappointing start as Exeter winger Claudia Moloney-MacDonald stole a pass to race over uncontested inside three minutes.

Crossing under the posts, Maisy Allen doubled the Chiefs' lead before Reneeqa Bonner, who was training with England throughout the Six Nations, scored for the Bears.

But Flo Robinson, fresh from playing a key role in the Red Roses' successful defence of that title, touched down twice to wrap up the Chiefs' try bonus point before the break as the visitors led 35-5 at half-time at Shaftesbury Park.

The Chiefs were quick to extend their lead in the second period, as Moloney-MacDonald added her second, using her pace again to dot down after a solo sprint.

Francesca Granzotto scored two tries to add to Sabrina Poulin and Hope Rogers' efforts to push Chiefs further clear in front of a season record crowd of 1,321.

Elsewhere, Harlequins signed off their home season in style with a 50-29 win over bottom side Leicester Tigers at Twickenham Stoop.

The hosts stormed into a 26-3 lead inside 20 minutes with tries by Lucy Packer, Freya Aucken, Lizzie Hanlon and Ella Cromack.

Seeking to avoid a 15th successive league defeat and having lost five without scoring, the Tigers kept themselves in it with tries by Micke Gunter and Zara Pickwick, who was making her first start for the Leicester team.

But Connie Powell and Kayleigh Powell also added their names to the scoresheet as Harlequins ended an action-packed first half with a 38-15 lead.

On an afternoon when she also kicked 10 points from the tee, Cromack celebrated her 50th appearance for Harlequins with a second try before substitute Maja Mueller powered over to extend the home side's lead to 33 points.

Australian wing Jemima McCalman crossed twice in the last quarter of the game to cut Harlequins' lead and give Tigers their second bonus point of the season.

Saracens swept aside Loughborough Lightning 62-24 at Franklin's Gardens on Sunday.

Centre Sydney Gregson scored five second-half tries and Paige Farries added a hat-trick for the visitors in a commanding win.

World player of the year Sophie de Goede made her first start since October and played an hour for Saracens, while former England captain Marlie Packer was sin-binned late on.

Saracens are secure in second place in the table behind leaders Gloucester Hartpury and they face Trailfinders next week.