The Power Pod (00:00.366) Hello, hello, hello. Thank you very much for tuning into this little bonus piece of content when I got to sit down with Rugby World Cup winner from 2014, Rachel Burford, and of course, she's a former Harlequin Premiership champion. It was a chance basically to go through all of these permutations for this race as five go into four. Make sure you listen to the full podcast episode as we look at all the upcoming matches over the weekend. But here is my chat with Rachel Burford. Hello, Rach, how are you?

I'm good, thanks Nick. How are you doing? Yeah, really good. I think it is time for us to truly get the abacus out. Before we do that, how has it been in retirement? How have you coped with watching the PWR rather than playing in it? Oh, look, I think I'm always going to miss playing a little bit, but the intensity and the level that the players are playing at, I'm pretty happy to be on the sideline. But when I've been in commentary and I see some of the tackles that are going in, they literally make me wince and I'm...

50 meters away from it. yeah, not missing it too much. Obviously just miss being around the girls and stuff, but yeah, so retirement's treating me well. Excellent. We're very pleased to hear it. Well, look, we were exchanging messages a little while ago about the idea of how we could perhaps sum up some of the performances over the season come the end, which maybe we'll do perhaps after those semi-finals. But I thought it'd be good to just get you on and look, it's all eyes on this top four race and what a season we've had.

probably hyped up by the fact that it's been so relentless because of this early finish to it. It's a good old race into these, you know, five into four, isn't it? it's like, honestly, I've got a massive sheet of trying to work out who can make who. It's what you want, isn't it? End of the league. We don't necessarily know exactly who's going to make that top four. Obviously, Quinn's and Gloucester definitely qualify, but will they stay where they are in the rankings? We don't know.

Again, the brilliant result for Bristol last week just makes everything to play for this weekend and it could still not be over after this weekend. So it's brilliant that it's going right up to the wire right away up until round 18. Yeah, absolutely. just to, know, you can join us and have a table in front of you if you like, else I'll do my best to describe it in case you're listening to this while driving along or in the showers when I do my best podcast listening work.

The Power Pod (02:18.858) And I've listened to the BBC Rugby Union Weekly in the shower, I've got Danny Caron who go on in the shower with me anyway. There's a site for everybody else. enough about that. So the gap in the table from first to fifth, ultimately is 12 points currently. So Gloucester-Harprey are up there with played 14, won 11 and 58 points. Quinn's on 55 with a similar played and won ratio. Saracen's played 14, won 10.

They're on 53. Bristol played 15 because they are a little bit further on. They've only got one game left. One nine on 49 points and Exeter Chiefs on 14, one nine 46 points. So we're basically going to look at the fixtures that are to come, put our necks on the block berth and come up with how we think this final top four are going to look. So round 17 this weekend. mean, it starts on Friday night with Queens against Bristol.

Yeah, big game. Obviously Friday night lights don't see that too often in the women's game. So quality fixture to look forward to and how Bristol played last weekend. They're on absolute fire. Like it was unbelievable. Probably their best performance of the year when they're under pressure, when their backs up against the wall and coming up against a strong Quinn side, but they've struggled of late. They've lost a few players. But playing at Stoop, I know it's very special for the group. So that will take them up a level.

But it's hard to call. Are you asking me to say who's going to win? Because I really don't want to go against Queen's, but the form that Bristol were in and like, we're going to have a try-fest no matter what. That's for sure. Because both teams love to play. Got nothing to kind of, well, Queen's have got nothing to lose. We'll absolutely go out there and try and entertain for certain. And Bristol don't kick. They love to run it from everywhere. They bat themselves and it pays off. So you still want me to say.

Well, I mean, well, we could at least go through the permutations of what happens. Should we do that? Look at me letting her off here. So if Queen's win with all five points, they go up to 60. So that's them, you know, before before a ball is kicked in on Saturday between Sale and Gloucester-Harpry, then Queen's would be top overnight. Obviously, if Bristol get five points against Queen's, which I think is a tall ask, but as you say,

The Power Pod (04:40.908) Both teams like to run and entertain. So they've just got to score four tries and be on the right side of the result, which is also feasible, I think. So Bristol could get themselves up to 54 points where Quinn's would stay on 55. And then that starts to paint an interesting picture for Bristol Bears. mean, obviously we can look at things like a draw or Bristol could score.

four tries are finished within seven points of Quinz and get two points to get themselves up to 51. That would open up a five point gap between themselves and Exeter Chiefs. And, you know, let's just say it again, this is Bristol's last game of the season. This is their last shot for points in that table. So they know, and Dave Ward knows, they have to try and get these five points no matter what. And I just wonder what that hunger relative to where Quinz are will do. Yeah. And I think, you know,

often do we see really desperate teams do really special things? And you saw that last week, the desperation from Bristol. And I don't see or believe that it will drop off this week. And I really don't want to go against my old team of Harlequins. But I really think Bristol have a real high percentage of winning this game with five points. interesting. mean, here on the PowerPod, we are used to giving team talks for

you know, teams. So Harlequins, you know, they'll, they'll put this up on the changing room wall. Birfvig's going to lose it. So you, you what you're, can see, I can see what you're doing here. You're just very secretly giving your old team the team talk to make sure they don't cock. It's very clever. Very clever, let's say then, so Bristol get those. So they're up to 54 points. We're going to go with that. Then the rest of the round 17 game. Saracens against Exeter. That is a tricky one to call as well. What's your inkling?

I'm, my inkling's towards Saracens, just on the back, the back of the fact that they've had a week off. So the well rested companies, the Chiefs have had a really long back to back, think it's eight games in a row. So they've got tired bodies in there physically, mentally, and they're picking up more injuries. So they've struggled and they really struggled to find their form. And I just think again, it's another big game, another big pressure situation. And I think Saris will rise to that challenge. I'm.

The Power Pod (07:00.878) I don't think Bristol, I don't think, sorry, Exeter will come away with nothing, but I'm not sure that they're going to come away with a maximum five points in that game. Okay. they'll make it away with something. Yeah, fine. So if Chiefs do slip up, if they're not able to go to the Stone Ex and pick up all of the points, maybe you're saying they pick up one for four tries possibly, maybe a losing bonus. But you know, if it's one or two points, that takes them from 46 to around 47, 48. Is that what you're thinking? Yes.

Yeah. While sitting on that fence, that's what you're thinking. We can do this chat on Saturday when we know what happens with Bristol. I know. So we've got Bristol who got themselves to 54, Chiefs who've got to 47, 48. Now that is critical because if that ends up being the case, Chiefs need more than that in order to get into that final spot, don't they?

So Chiefs, of course, who in the last round, round 18, go away to Tigers. Are you thinking that's five points? You would expect five points, yes. Yeah. Okay. So let's just dip back to round 17 then. Gloucester go away to sale sharks. I'm thinking, you're thinking the champions pick up five points. Yes, correct. Okay. So Gloucester-Harprey then at the end of this weekend, still sit pretty at the top with 63. Harlequins are in second behind them.

perhaps with 59 or 60, we're thinking. And then Saracens have got a victory. So it looks pretty much like we're saying Bristol will be able to do enough, depending on that result at Queen's, to put enough distance between themselves and Chiefs, who would then go on to pick up five points against Tigers in round 18. Obviously, Saracens then play sale sharks, they're at home in round 18. So

probably maximum points there. mean, we're talking about a South Sharks team that went to Exeter and beat the Chiefs. So we're not entirely writing them off, but I apologize, it does sound like we are. And then Gloucester-Quins, I mean, that's a game in that last round 18 of the season. Could it just be a little bit more of an exhibition game if those two teams are top of the table? They've probably not got a whole lot to argue over because they've both got home semifinals at that point anyway, right?

The Power Pod (09:18.69) Potentially, yeah, but then at the same time, it's those bragging rights, it's that psychological edge. Harlequin's obviously lost to them fairly convincingly in, what was it, two? Yeah, round two. I think an opportunity to remind or let each other know where they are now, not where they were, and what's to come post hopefully those semifinals if both of them get through. Yeah. it's so, so tasty. Look.

These are the bravery of predictions. We could be getting this wrong. Friday night could go very differently. okay, Berth, anything else that you've been kind of scribbling down on your piece of paper that you'd like to share? Oh my God, there's so much on my paper. Well, I feel like we haven't covered it then. What else have we got there? No, kind of, summarized it very well compared to my millions of writing of different directions this leak could go in. But no, we've definitely covered.

the main talking points like Bristol, got to take something away as a minimum from Saris this weekend. And sorry, Exeter have got to take away something from Saris this weekend to stay in that hunt. If Bristol comes strong, then there's going be massive pressure on them. thing is that they're going to be in the driving seat yet again, which they have been through this whole kind of cat and mouse chase where obviously Bristol plank wins on the Friday night. So they'll be going into Saturday knowing exactly what they need to come away with.

I wonder how demoralizing it could be for Chiefs if Bristol get all five points. Well, mean, Chiefs have got the opportunity to get 10 points from the end of the season, from these next two games. So I guess it becomes a carrot to dangle in front of them if Bristol get that result. It's worth just working out, if Bristol go to Queen's and absolutely smash and grab the result here, or sorry, Queen's, no, I want to go the other way, don't I? So if Queen's hold on at home, get all five points and send Bristol away.

Then things do become interesting, don't they? Because then the Chiefs have got a real opportunity. They're just going to need four or five points from two games, which with Tigers to come, they could do. So hey, who would predict, Love it. Well, Beth, we really appreciate you coming on and putting your neck on the block for us. What's next for you?

The Power Pod (11:38.414) So this weekend is off, so I'm just going to sit back and enjoy some of the rugby and rest. Excellent. We love the sound of that. And yeah, then I think we should regroup because it's not just about the very best players in the league or perhaps those that top the stack count. Because I think people will understand that if you're making a ton of meters against a weaker team rather than making great post-contact meters against a top team, that's going to influence stats in a way that doesn't really tell the story. So I think we've touched base on the fact that

Maybe we run the rule over these teams and we decide who our best 15 of the season is going to be. Whether we add in a rule and create an extra one that's non-international capped as well, I guess we could always do that. But will you come and join us towards the end of the season and we'll have a look at that? Yeah, absolutely. think the league is ever growing and there's so much eyes on players. But like you say, it's always about

the standouts, those big stats and those big names that everybody knows about. So it'd be great to take a dive into those, those players who are brilliant and outstanding every week, but maybe don't get as much limelight as the others. It'd be great to have look at those. Yeah, brilliant. All right. Well, thank you, Berth. Have a great weekend and we'll catch up soon. Andrew, cheers Nick.