The Power Pod (00:00.366) you

The Power Pod (00:14.286) Welcome to a slightly different PowerPod than normal. Great to have you with us. Thank you so much for tuning in. And well, it's a bit of a different pod this week as it's officially a fallow week.

in the PWR, a buffer week, but clearly designed for the purpose of rehousing any midwinter games that have been called off. And, evidently, there is a need for there to be this weekend where we are actually going to have a couple of games. we thought we'd just do things a little bit differently this week, and I'm delighted to say that, well, we've got a very, very special guest in place of the excellent Philip Patati this week.

is a former world rugby player of the year nominee, 66 caps for the red roses, a Grantsland winner, World Cup campaigns, the full works. I'm delighted we are joined by Saracens Poppy Cleal. How are you, Poppy? Hello, I'm good, thank you. I don't know if it's an upgrade from Philippa or not. I'm not quite sure on that one. We are very happy to have you with us. We've also got Dudley and Rue, who are determined to play their part in the background.

So if dogs barking in the background are not your thing, it's time to tune out now, because I think that they're going to be with us through all of this, aren't they? They will be. they will be. Excellent. We've shut them in a bedroom. Is that right? They are. Yeah. Don't go telling everyone that. So it's not that cruel. It's fine. Thanks so much for joining us. mean, well, I was just going to touch on the results from last week, first of all, and then let's get into a bit of a chat.

Because the round 16 games, Leicester Tigers at home to Gloucester Harbury got beaten 7 points to 38. Bristol Bears at home, they might have done the fashion catwalk, but they lost to Loughborough Lightning 22-31. Trailfinders at home, they got beaten by Yorlart 17 points to 31. Saracens the victors there. And then on Sunday, the game live on TNT Sports was Exeter Chiefs 30, Harlequins 31.

The Power Pod (02:15.31) An absolute nail biter. So Poppy, before we sort of perhaps get into fixtures, teams or whatever, how are you enjoying life? How is your PWR season? Yeah, I think sort of a mixed bag if you were to look back at the RPWR season, I think if you were to say at the beginning of season that teams were going to make the top four losing, you know, four potentially five games. I don't think anyone would believe you because notoriously in the past, you've got to finish first. You know, you're looking at

losing one, maybe two games at max and now it looks like a team's going to finish first losing four games. So it's been the year of the underdog victory. I think I called that back in September. And with this congested year, it was about the depth of your squads and can you go week in, week out, no breaks. You're relying on, you your squad of 40 rather than 23 in the past. And it's really highlighted that strength. I think

It's been a great watch seeing the underdogs get those victories. think everyone smiled a little bit when they saw Salby exit her and then probably they all laughed a bit as well when Loughborough beat Sarri. So yeah, it's been a year of the underdogs and it's great product, a great league to be a part of and it's so exciting knowing you don't have a week off. Every week you've got to go, you've got to be your best and you've got to keep going. So for us personally, it's been up and down, but we're trying to learn to.

ride that wave, make sure we can improve on what we can and just keep going. think notoriously people think Saris is a bit of like a mentality monsters and you know we're there for the big occasions and we turn up and we demolish teams but I think we're definitely a slightly different group and we're learning to sort of be that again so we've not quite managed to grasp hold of that and turn up each week but we're learning to be better, we're learning to do that as a group and I think

and we're getting there and hopefully we're doing it at the right time of the season. It's certainly feeling that way. I mean, with your experience and how it clearly did used to feel like that, how hard is it to be patient that there might need to be a bit of, I don't know, yeah, regrouping, re-finding of the way? Yeah, it's, you've got to slow down and stick to your processes and realise it's not just going to happen. You're not just going to turn up and it's going to happen. And I think

The Power Pod (04:33.742) The girls are 100 % they've got 100 % buying and we're trying our best and we perform sometimes a bit, you know, not like ourselves. I think that Loughborough game was completely sort of out of kilter for us. When we had that Queen's game before Christmas, again, they completely came and bullied us. And I think we're not used to that. So it's about learning that. And when you're getting bullied for 40 minutes, can you turn it around? And at the moment, sometimes

we're not being able to do that when in the past we have. So it's a process and I think the girls have been amazing on this sort of journey and we're learning and I think it's credit to them because sometimes it's also not the way some players play and they've got to kind of fit into that mould and fit into that style. But I think we're getting there and you're seeing the likes of Lottie Clap tearing down the wing, Alicia Corrigan running around people, Emma Hardy kicking it behind and now we're seeing them sort of flourish whereas in the...

start of the season we were sort of struggling to really make them look good and promote them but now we're sort of getting there. relentlessness is a skill to be taught or to be learned I guess. It's also really interesting, mean you know, while Philip and I have been covering the season week in week out, it's the value of having someone come in like yourself who just from a very outside perspective

draws attention to that element around the top of the table. It's a really fair point. Just having a look at it now, top four every seam, Gloucester-Harprey top lost three games, Quinn's lost three, Sarri's lost four, Chiefs lost four. And when you then see actually the results and that the likes of Loughborough and Trailfinders have started having particularly in this second half of the season, and then perhaps we were all guilty of assuming that Southsharks were going to keep hold of the bagel right to the end and then they get that result.

It really tells an even better story for this league that many of us will say is the best in the world, but actually that strength is now permeating further and further down the table. Yeah, 100%. Throughout the years of the PWR, like I said before, don't think any teams lost three games and going to get a home semi-final, which has never happened. So it just shows how, even if Loughborough and Ealing had sort of...

The Power Pod (06:50.702) their seasons again was a bit of a slow burner, but if they got a few wins before Christmas, you know, they're easy catching fifth, they're easy catching fourth. So it's exciting for like the years to come. I think there's only one team still who's made the playoffs every year and they're hoping to keep doing that. And that's obviously Sarri. So I think eight years in a row making the playoffs is pretty impressive. And I think people seem to sort of forget that and just write us off a bit too easy.

The league's just so competitive, so competitive and I'm just, well, looking at the whole league to get sailed, to get off the zero is just incredible and I think it's fully deserved for them and rugby in the north. Yeah, yeah, lovely. All right, well, let's, by means of using a little way of you giving us your thoughts on the rest of the runners and riders, I mean, we'll go through last weekend's fixtures as a means to do so. So Tigers against Gloucester-Harpry, have you viewed each of them over the season so far? Yeah, Tigers...

People think, because obviously we beat them 100 nil and they're beaten quite convincingly each week that they're walk, they're not, they're a very good team. They've got some great individuals. Some of those individuals would walk into any team in the premiership. So they're just trying to build there. That team came together this year, the start of season, they didn't have any luck, any sort of results. And you it only took to turn up to the big game at Twickenham to see what.

great rugby they can play. thought, you know, they were going to be a bit closer in that game because they started so well, got the first score and they notoriously do that, do get the first score or are in it in the first half and then they sort of fade away. So they've got a great team to build around and you just got to hope they keep hold of those players. know, yeah, they've got to change a coach as well coming, haven't they? I did I did notice Charlie Beckett's leaving.

Loughborough this week. I don't know whether he's going to be popping up somewhere else in the East Midlands, but perhaps news on that later this week. think with all the coaches leaving, it's so interesting and it kind of leaves a few things up in the air regarding that. know, with Rachel Taylor leaving Sale, who's going to fill that sales spot? You've got the Gloucester Harbury head coach up for dibs and I think it's very interesting and it could form how next season goes.

The Power Pod (09:09.742) With Leicester, I think they've got to work very hard to keep hold of some of those players if they're going to try and work their way up that table because they've got some incredible talent and the more they play together, the better they'll get. So I think next season, if they keep hold of them, they could do well. If they lose anyone or any few players, I'm not sure they'll be getting any results. Yeah, OK. And Gloucester-Harprey, I mean, there's a fair chance you're going to bump into them holding into that top four.

At some point, how have you viewed the form of the champions? Took them a while to get going, didn't it? Yeah, same again. They struggled really with the loss of their internationals and where the England games like sort of lay in the league. So they got back to winning ways and probably since Christmas they've kicked on. They've gone up another level and they're coming into form. They're probably the number one team to beat going for the free pee and they're coming in with form. So I think that you don't want to say who you want in the semis and you don't want to say who you want in the...

in the final, there'll be a hard team to beat away for their home semi, which I think they'll probably get their home semi now. They're probably sort of home and and dry for that. So I think that'd be a tricky place to go. And you'd probably assume that they will make the finals. Yeah. Then there was Bristol Bears against Loughborough Lightning. And we might have a little mention of the Bristol lot and from one of our power powers in a little while. But I want to just go over a few messages, but

Yeah, Bristol are determined to make this hard for themselves. Yeah, well, interestingly, Bristol scored the joint most tries this season. And I think how can a team that has that attacking threat, scores the joint most tries in by round 16 and doesn't make the top four? You know, something in their game plan's gone very wrong, let's say. So I think they...

they sort of stuck to their guns and they just don't change. And I don't know if that's the most successful plan to have. that a reference to their playing out of the 22 and not clearing a lot? Because we've certainly made mention of it or two on the pod so far. I think it might be. I think they just struggle with their plan B. They have their plan A and they're all nailed on their plan A. And then when it doesn't work, they struggle with their plan B. And I don't know whether that's the coaching, the players, know, when you're not in that camp, you don't know. I think in a league where

The Power Pod (11:31.438) players can defend now, players can pin you back, teams can keep you in uncomfortable positions, why do you want to just be turning over the ball when you're 22? It's hard work keeping the ball coast to coast and then just to cough up the ball like that in such a hard position then to defend from. think watching that Ealing game the previous week, because we obviously had Ealing the following week, we watched that game and you know, they...

coughed up the ball and that 22 and every time he'd in scored and it just put the pressure on them. just kept them pinned back and it made them have to score in the next phase. And then when they didn't, it just gets even more frustrating. So I think with all that attacking flair and all their great players, they should be making top four. They've got an unbelievable talented squad with the Welsh, the English, the Scottish, and they can field, you know, one to 15 or four internationals, well, one to 23.

four internationals. And I think they'll be disappointed if they don't make the top four when they look back at the season. Yeah, it is a huge clash at home to Exeter Chiefs this weekend, isn't it? That game is going to be on TNT Sports. So yeah, there's plenty of riding on that. I mean, they got beaten by a Loughborough Lightning side who, to me, just seemed to be believing in their growth and possibly the arrival of your Fran Goldthorpe and a certain Flyer and Chrissie Scherfield have been pretty helpful for them as well.

Yeah, 100%. I think Fersi Skars played unbelievably well. Her defensive efforts, was no one went through that channel, no one went around her. Every time you fought someone, had a half break, she's wrapped around their ankles, taking them down. So, yeah, that was an unbelievable effort. And then with Chrissie Skirfield, yeah, I think that if you've got somebody that you're going to give sort of newcomer of the league to, or, you know...

most influential down at Loughborough. I think it's her. She scored some unbelievable tries even against us, broken a few hearts and then you know, has played incredibly well. So that's one to kick on for the World Cup, definitely for Canada. But yeah, Loughborough as a whole again, we've always said every year they've had that talent and they've actually been together quite a long time now. You know, the Rachel Malcoms, Helen Nelson, Scars, they've been there working together for a few years and you think that

The Power Pod (13:50.314) every year they can upset somebody and they haven't quite done it in the past. They've been top four a couple of seasons, but you always think, right, they're going to push on, they're going to push on. This year it's probably a little bit too late and looking back at the results, they're going to go, we played, we had created some great memories, we played some great games, but we just didn't play and beat the people around us enough to be in that top four contention. And I think those are the sort of games you need to win. It's okay to lose for top four occasionally, but you've got to beat the teams in and around you.

Yeah, and you mentioned the work of a certain Scouts there. I mean, interestingly, they did manage to miss 50 tackles, according to Oval Insights. So winning a game and missing that many tackles for Loughborough, quite impressive. Yeah, that's quite a lot considering... We were wondering if any team has ever missed that many tackles and still won a game before, but... But do know what that highlights? That probably highlights how good your scramble D is, how good your back three are at covering because...

notoriously, I think if you look to the line breaks, I don't know how many Sarah Burn had, but there was a few. But they just had that next person tackling her chopping them down and they just had each other's back and you sort of saw that. It wasn't, you the most high quality game of rugby. wasn't, but it was just everyone had their match back and they were there completely cheering on each other. And it was just a whole squad effort. Yeah, nice.

And then, yeah, you enjoyed your trip to Trail Finders, didn't you? They've also been a team that I think a little bit like others like Bristol, maybe they've been very good going forward, occasionally leaving the back gate open. They certainly don't seem to have too much problem scoring tries, certainly plenty of talent to do so. But it felt to me like that was a Saracens performance that I think maybe even a bit like the week before.

is your side going, okay, let's not forget who we can be when we need to be and actually get the sorts of results that perhaps others have stumbled across. How do you view that? Have you viewed Trail Finders, I should say? No, we started the season with two absolute epics against them. I think it was over 50 points scored in both games and we know how much of a threat they are. They score points, you're never going to go a nil, Trail Finders, you're never going to keep them out and...

The Power Pod (16:04.074) we knew it was going to be tough and that's 100 % what it was. think Abby Burton sort of come of age this year. She's fully deserving of the England call up and you've got sort of Lisa Thompson as well showing up there midfield and then just the threat of sort of Chloe Rowling, even Rosie Inman scoring some great tries. And I think you've got to stay in those games and just keep in the moments. They're going to score. It's okay to be under your post, but when you get your chances, you have to take them. And I think we ended up doing that. I think we went into their 22.

nine times and scored five tries. I think if you're coming out with over 50 % conversion rate, you're doing okay. the game was kind of stuck in that mid half for a bit and it was, you get out of there and can you push on? And both teams got stuck in there a little bit, but when we managed to, think we took our opportunities really well. That driving mall at the end was an incredible thing to watch from the sideline and Alicia, we were all credit in Alicia Corrigan on joining that.

to get it over the line. But yeah, we had all the backs in there. I think we learnt that one off Exeter in the last play when they beat Loughborough and they had a 13-man wall. So yeah, we shoved all our backs in there and got over that score and it probably made the scoreline look a bit more flattering to us.

We don't mind. We'll take that. I'm sure you will. Yeah, I quite like the generosity of a forward crediting the fact that the more might have been successful because some of the backs joined, you know, it's very good of you, Poppy. They won't do it again unless I give them credit. That's true. That's true. And actually, I mean, you mentioned Alicia Corrigan and obviously she's she's been at Saris in a couple of spells and we are so blessed with the amount of North American talent that is throughout the league. Are you getting any sense, any whispers from any of these sorts of players that have been here that

that certainly have made a real effort to be in this league leading into a World Cup year that this is a place they feel is still good for them going forwards beyond that tournament later in the year? 100 % I think if they were to talk about, well if you just look at Alicia Corrigan for example, when she came to us before, she came off the bench in the first final we played in.

The Power Pod (18:16.078) and then start the second one. she's went to Canada, carried on playing sevens, went to the Olympics, came back an Olympic medalist. And boy, the improvement from the first time she was here to this time now is incredible. She completely adds to the product of the PWR. You know, her running game, her defensive efforts is just phenomenal. And I think as much as we're probably helping them develop and helping the Canadians and the Americans, I can 100 % adding value to this league. And I think they need to keep.

keep on coming over and keep coming to Saris if I'm honest, but even Rory would come in halfway through the season to Trail Finders, Courtney Holt camp rocking up to Loughborough for a few games. And I think that just shows how much they believe in the PWR and how much they think that it will develop their game. And it's so important to be here for a World Cup year just because of the quality of week in, week out of games, the quality of training and just how you have to up your game in this league.

I think it's a credit to the league that they are still flying over even with, you know, three or four games that they're only going to be able to play in. You know, Alona Mark is only, it's going to be in four or five, I think. So it just shows all this effort she's come to come over, bring the cameras with her. then it just adds to our game, but she adds to our game. But I think the PWR adds to hers as well. Yeah, very well put.

Of course, a few of those international stars, the Alicia Washingtons of the world, who've been up at sale sharks, Beatrice O'Regoni, Sophia Stephane. I mean, they had their bye week, but just to touch on life up there, that result for them, huge against Exeter Chiefs. But it's been tough for sale sharks. Yeah, no, it has been tough. And I think they feel like they may feel like the weight of the world's on their shoulders up there being the last remaining team up the north. And I just hope that, you know, the sale can turn into the hub for the north, that they can...

really be the players from their feed into them. They don't come down to sort of London, they don't come down to the Southwest, they stay up there and they really help drive that team forward. I think with the likes of Mo Wenner, who I was impressed with, the Taisha Harper and Molly Morrissey in that extra game. think Molly came off the bench and absolutely crushed and defense then in attack. Taish carried over 20 times, just kept on getting up and kept on going.

The Power Pod (20:31.374) and just really stood up for the team. think you can build a team around that. You know, I hear some rumors that they might be getting some good coaches and some might have signed some great players, but I just hope that they keep that sort of core. think Niamh Swales has been doing phenomenal, whether that's in the hooker role or that back row. They've got great talent and I think they need to stay together. I hope they stay together and they can kick on. Because if you can beat the likes of Exeter and Sandy Park, you know.

we've only ever done it once. Sari's only ever beat Nexus Anypart once. So now they've just, you know, they're joint with us as well. I think, you can keep turning up week in week out and working together, you know, they'll get some more results like that 100%. Yeah, nice. And I'm intrigued by your gossip. Anything, anything you want to tell the Power Pod?

I don't want to get done just in case it's not right. Yeah, okay, fair enough. Well, look, the only only name floating about that I think is is eyeing up another job in the PWR might be Charlie Beckett, but we'll wait until that settles. Have you got Charlie, Charlie Beckett, Tom Hudson? Yeah.

Stratton Luke Strapsford is a few names. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Good to bring a few more of those up. We'd obviously love more women's names in the mix as well. But you know, we might just need a little bit more time a few more coaches to come through the system before before there are there are as many looking but but yeah, and then you can't enjoy the Chiefs to get to Queens on Sunday, didn't you? I absolutely loved it. It was an amazing game to watch, you know, with everything that was riding on that game.

The fact that Exeter desperately needed that result, Queen's needed that result to get them in the top four. It was just absolutely cracking TV. Sat here on my sofa with my feet up and I was fully invested in a few of those tassels. Yeah. I mean, there were some great, great moments. There was some great rugby. There were some hilarious moments. There were some personal scores being settled. mean, know, Ellie killed Dunn's

The Power Pod (22:31.35) competitive instincts, her ability to have gone one dummy, two dummy and finish that score, get under the post and ultimately give Queens that position was world class. There's no two ways about it. Elements before that, a little less world class. There was some comedy moments between her and Liv McGovern, weren't there? There was. And I don't know whether, you know, in the past, you know, I've seen players sort of

react like that and there's coming together and they just, yeah, their performance just nose dies and it's just, it just doesn't add to their game. I've seen other players absolutely revel in it. And there was one person I didn't think would, but that was Ellie Kildon and she just took her performance to next level. And I saw a few comments and it was like, don't poke the bear and don't rile Ellie Kildon because she just then brought that out the bag. And I think phenomenal. If you can, you know, channel that into your own performance and then.

and do things like she does, which is world class straight away afterwards. You know, I think that I think she should do it more often. I wouldn't mind if she waved at me under the post, to be fair. I think, you know, credit to her to be fair. She got under their skin and then she delivered. So fair play. People talk about sort of personalities and I loved it. think it's a little different to a let's say a James Lowe and a Maratouje coming in just pushing and shoving.

throwing their weight around. It's a little different to that. And I think, you know, the more if you can add that to a game, I think great because one, it makes me look like an angel. And two, you know, it just brings it brought the best rugby out there. And I thought it was a phenomenal tussle. And, you know, to both of them, I think they both played well. So I think fair play to both of them. And I think to ensure that Poppy Cleale stays out of the dock is all good.

Yeah, it's interesting. mean, angry kill done. Maybe that's out there to stick. You've just got to really wind her up and then she brings the game to the absolute next level. So yeah, was definitely that response wasn't there? I mean, Chiefs, you talked about Saracen's only beaten them once at home. Fortress Sandy Park is not a moniker that we could stick on it this season. They've lost four times down there now this season. It just seems to have been so up and down for them. What have you made of it from the outside? Yeah, I think their season

The Power Pod (24:54.926) started so well at Christmas, they were sort of unbeaten. And you thought they were the team that were going to finally sort of do it this season. So notoriously, you they'd been the bridesmaids never quite managing to win a final got to a couple but never won it. I think Dudley's Dudley's got a lot to say about it. Can you probably hear him? he from a yeah, I've prepped him well. He knows. Yeah, no, they, they should.

You thought at beginning of season they were going to be top four, home semi, and they just lined things up really well for themselves. But then since Christmas, I'm not sure what's happened. Did they enjoy that turkey a bit too much? They've come out a different team and they just haven't got that same confidence. They haven't got that same aura. They're conceding tries when they normally wouldn't. Notoriously, it's so hard to score against Exeter. They fill the field incredibly well and they've got sort of...

players in the middle like Poppy Leach, just don't let you through, Hope Rogers, Delika Menon, Emily Titozi and I just think this after Christmas they've just lost that and you know will they be able to find it in time? Will Suzy be able to get them back to their sort of roaring best because they're a team that can win this premiership so can they do it in time? I'm not sure. Harlequins, what a season they've had.

getting that win down at Sandy Park at the weekend by the skin of their teeth, getting that top four position. It's, you know, as a bystander, it's great to see a powerhouse like Queen's back in the top four. It's giving you that London rivalry back, isn't it? Yeah, 100%. It's, well, we love playing Queen's home or away and we always do it. They come to us and beat Frasier, so then we go to them and Frasier them. I don't know how that ever works its way out, but we used to get up for those games and

You come out the changing rooms with Quinn's faces everywhere and you just, know what you need to do to, you need to go out there and absolutely smash him. So we definitely get up for it. And they've improved tenfold. I think the way Rosh Chisholm's come in and I think, is there a defence coach, Chris Laidlaw? it? Or I made that up? Yeah, I know you're good. And they've just, you know, done some great things down there. They've signed amazing players. I think if you were to look in the summer at the recruitment.

The Power Pod (27:18.936) Quinn's won that battle, I think, signing Alex Callender, Kayleigh Powell, just in positions that they needed. So notoriously teams just sort of signed players because they're a red rose or they signed players because they're international, but they've already got four players in that position, which are doing a fantastic job. I think what Quinn said, they went out and they went, right, where do we need? We lost Emily Scott, we need a fly half and they got an international standard fly half and...

I think that's what they did phenomenal at and then they just reap the rewards of that. They're a hard team to beat as Saris knows and I think they fully deserve enough their playoff spot and just interesting to see who they will get in the semi-final. Isn't it just brilliant and excellent rundown Poppy really really really interesting to get your thoughts.

I would also just love to flick over to a couple of our Power Pals who've got in touch after the weekend with a few of their thoughts on things. So let me just see, let me bring a couple of these messages up. we are. Hi Boat, this is from Matt Donovan. What impact do you think the WER will have on the PWR? This is Women's Elite Rugby in the USA. Do you think it will attract players from the PWR? Will the possibility of being full-time professionals encourage the fringe England players?

or those not of central contracts to head over to the States? Do the Red Roses have the same stance on overseas players as the England men's team? Sorry for all the questions, very interested in your thoughts. Yes, of course, since we last recorded, WER Women's Elite Rugby in the USA have announced their six first franchise teams. We've got the New York Exiles, which clearly was designed by someone who's a big fan of the Traters, that logo. Chicago Tempest, Twin Cities TC Gemini, Denver Onyx.

The Bay Breakers and the Boston Banshees, which is a terrifying logo, but they are all brilliant. Excellent work by Flo Williams and the Make It Matter team. So do go and check at Rugby Evolved if you have yet to see the artwork and to ultimately pick your WER team, because that competition gets underway in March. In the meantime, having just covered that, do you think it will have an impact on the PWR Poppy Cleo?

The Power Pod (29:35.246) Oh, that's a tough one. don't think, oh, goodness, am I supposed to say what I think or am I supposed to say what will help grow the game? I think we could have a little from Column A and a little from Column B if you like. I think that it's amazing, you know, the start of the league, all the logos look phenomenal. If you'd asked me who I'd want to play for, it'd be New York, 100%. But I think

It's a growing league and I hope that all the USA players go back there. I hope you see people like Alonemar, Alev Kelter playing in that league, Catherine Treder, and just adding to what they've learned over here back to that league. I hope they can help grow their game back in America. I think it can evolve to 100 % to compete with the PWR and attract players from over here.

I don't think it can do that just yet. I know that they're a fully professional league. I would probably question what that sort of looks like at the moment. But yeah, 100%, they've got a great start of it. I hope PWR can share with them what they've done and what helped them and what worked and what didn't. It's also quite unique this year, isn't it? Because the PWR season is effectively done to allow those players, or not to allow them, but it will allow players

to go back and get involved in some WER. That's not going to be the case in future seasons where the PWR will roll through to its normal final in June. So they are going to be competing products rather than ones that dovetail as they will this season. Yeah, 100%. And I know for sure that some of the players from the PWR, Americans are going over there to play. But it's got all the signs and attributes to be 100 % competing with the PWR. And you just hope that it grows.

and it does equate to what it could be. Yes, yeah, good. Dudley agrees as well. OK, just a couple more messages then on this is from Victoria, who is the mum of Isla. I think this is the famous Isla Grace, who we've heard plenty from on Good Scars Rugby. On the journey back from Bristol from the Bristol against Lightning match, what a game. Totally worked the five hour round trip. It was so different to the game at the beginning of the season where Bristol got three tries past us in eight minutes.

The Power Pod (31:56.48) So gutted it's taken to this point of the season for Lightning to be taking scalps, but my god if this team stays the same next season it will be so exciting. I think we all agree there really, that's pretty simple isn't it?

And then we have one here. This message is from Beth Proctor. Hi Nick and Philippa and Poppy. I mean she won't have expected you but... a review of a club performance but I'd love your views on my possibly unpopular opinion. This is what we've got Poppy Cleale here for. I think that Bristol doing a walk-in video is a great idea and vibe. Very WNBA. However...

I think it's completely let down and undermined by the fact that you then couldn't watch the game anywhere unless you were at the match. As of writing this message, Bristol's Instagram reel has had 586,000 views. What's the point in making a big deal about the match being a sellout and doing a walk-in reel if you can't then watch it anywhere? The fact it's had so many views makes me so annoyed about that untapped potential audience that's been let slip away by there not being a click the link below to watch the match.

As well, is the second time Loughborough have beaten a team vying for top four, Saracens being the other match. They also ran extra extremely close and are going to have have a real bearing and they are going to have a real bearing on where teams finish in the league. None of these three teams, sorry, none of these three games have been televised or streamed. Sorry if this is a bit of a rant. Well, I mean, it is, but Beth makes some valid points, I think. Yeah, I don't think that's an unpopular opinion. I think everyone agrees a bit.

100 % we need to all games and each home team needs to up their game and get these games streamed. Like as Beth said, half a million views on their walk-in. Imagine how many people they would have had tune in. So the walk-in was phenomenal, by the way. And if we're going to talk about people who played well at the weekend, we need to talk about people who look good in that walk-in. I think Sarah Byrne, amazing. Holly Aitchison, great.

The Power Pod (34:01.102) Semi Pam. Semi Pam. I mean, hot pink Pam, as I'm now going to call her. The sunglasses made us all feel like it was, you know, 20 degrees. I'm really like three degrees. Yeah. Yeah, we loved it. Some incredible outfits and and hopefully, Abbie Ward, Abbie Ward's jacket. Yeah. What would you have rocked, Poppy, on a walking video?

Oh, I would have said, I was that kid at school that forgot it was, you know, Muffty Day and I still came in my uniform. So I would have full-keen in my Harry's kit, being like, oh no, I forgot. Too keen, too keen, full kit, we could possibly say. Good. Finally, we just, we had a message from Tom Sims, regular contributor, Exeter 30, Quince 31, the most horribly tense gamer rug. We were both sides eager for a performance and the win.

Quinn's found a way to win when it looked like Exeter should have sewn the game up. Their try scoring record though is letting them down. While Quinn's joined Gloucester in qualifying for the top four, they need to work on contact meters conceded when tackling. Last two weeks it seems the opposing sides make plenty of ground post contact which will prove costly but then the jeopardy is what makes this sport so good. That's an interesting observation isn't it? Yeah, no that is. think what he's talking about

Saris v Quittens, so our contact meters. I think, yeah, we were, I think the second most contact meters we've had all season in that game. And then the extra girls as well made an incredible amount of contact meters. And that's 100%. If you win that game line notoriously, time and time again, you struggle to defend. You know, don't have to miss a tackle to concede a try. If you're constantly conceding six, five meters a carry, they'll eventually get over your try line. So it's probably something that we've just helped.

their coach James Chisholm, no not James Chisholm, Ross Chisholm, sorry, Ross Chisholm, look out so he probably needs to thank us for his tackling drills he's about to do. Excellent, well this weekend we touched on Bristol Bears taking on Exeter Chiefs, a huge game, then there's also Sail Sharks against Trail Finders, a little less riding on that for the top four. Poppy, how do you see the season concluding?

The Power Pod (36:16.204) Wow, the permutations for the last four weeks have been, you know, sort of going around and having a little look. I think actually the Ealing-Loughborough game's a great game because it's a straight shoot out for who finishes sixth and who finishes seventh. And when you've got that on the line, it's definitely everyone, you know, you want to finish one up over somebody else and you want to make sure they finish behind you. So that's going to be a great game. And both teams are going in with, you know, some great form, Loughborough.

running the three top four teams, beating two and then running one extremely close and then Ealing again. So that's going to be a great game. I just see, it's too tough to call. It's too tough to call. you want me to sit here and go, right, well, I want these in the semi-final. I've worked in this game long enough. I'm not expecting that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that.

I hope teams say that though. I hope teams want us. I hope teams want, right, we want Saris here, we want Saris there. I just want to be in those sort of games. mean, the finals at the Stone X, so that's got to be just sprinkling that little extra bit of pressure, hasn't it? I know, 100%. We knew that from early on in the season as well, that it's at the Stone X. for years, we've been in our changing rooms going, I can't believe it's getting played at Sandy Park. I can't believe it's getting played at...

at Kings Home and now we've finally got it. We've got to put our money where our mouth is haven't we really and get to that final. think we were so disappointed not making the final last year but we've got to make the final this year and if we don't it's, it would be a disaster. I just don't think we can look back at the season and be like we perform to our best and that would be the...

sort of heartbreaking thing. we'll put a hat, you know, hang our hat and say we have to make that final. We've got a team full of talent. And we've got to be in it to win it and we need to be in it. Excellent. I like the avoidance of dramatic language like disaster. It's not a disaster. But as you say, you may well be heartbroken because you have higher expectations of yourselves.

The Power Pod (38:22.83) Poppy, I can't thank you enough for joining us for the PowerPod for this little special one-off. Perhaps we can check in with you once again before the very end of the season. We've just a few episodes left, but it's been so, so good having you on and I'm sure everyone listening will agree. Good luck for the run-in. Good luck for what comes next. Thank you. Thank you very much.

really appreciate it. Right, don't forget you can keep in touch with us here on the PowerPod via the Powerline. Get in touch on our Instagram. The numbers all there, all of that business. No, I've not got it written down in front of me, but you know, there we are. And yeah, we look forward to the, well, the couple of games coming up this weekend at Bristol against Exeter Chiefs. That one's Saturday, 12.15, live on TNT and then at two o'clock live on the Global Yo App is Sailshark against Trailfinders. Poppy, thank you. Listeners, thank you.

We will see you next time.