Harlequins fans may have added a soundtrack to the club’s opening Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) game against Exeter Chiefs with chants and songs but it was the travelling supporters who left London with smiles on their faces after the fly-half Liv McGoverne kicked a last-minute penalty to seal a dramatic comeback win. Quins were the better side over the 80 minutes but could not keep the scoreboard ticking.
Quins, who did not come away emptyhanded as they picked up a losing bonus-point, were also handed more blows in the game, with the centre Izzy Mayhew and back row Nicole Wythe coming off with injuries. The hosts gave away a scrum penalty with seconds to go which saw McGoverne break their hearts.
“I was very nervous,” McGoverne, who had earlier missed a conversion, said of stepping up to the tee. “I was just thinking ‘Don’t miss, don’t miss’ and I was trying to breathe. It is so nice when it comes off and you feel like the hero a bit.”
Harlequins v Exeter is a fixture usually littered with internationals and, while stars like the Wales and Quins wing Lisa Neumann and England-capped Exeter back row Emily Robinson were playing, 31 players across both sides were not because of international duty.
The reason the league is starting in October and clashing with the WXV tournaments is because there is a shortened PWR schedule this season owing to the 2025 Rugby World Cup. But the overlap has seen criticism from the likes of Exeter’s head coach Susie Appleby, who was missing 16 players while Quins had 15 absentees. She said she could not understand the decision in the buildup to this match.
The physical encounter was highlighted by an early crunching tackle by Wythe. The hosts were awarded multiple penalties in the opening 15 minutes but turned down the three-point option in favour of kicks to the corner and taking a tap-and-go. The first few attempts went awry but Exeter continued to give away penalties and eventually Wythe was over for the first try of the game. Both clubs toiled in attack, and a cagey half ended with Quins 7-0 up.
Harlequins looked the brighter side as the second half began but Exeter made life difficult. Second row Lauren Brooks was almost over in the corner but the visitors held her up over the line. After almost 14 minutes of effort with no score, the Harlequins fly-half Ella Cromack pointed to the sticks after Exeter conceded yet another penalty, only to miss her kick.
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Exeter started to turn the tide and, with Quins’ hooker Maja Meuller in the sin-bin, the visitors took full advantage, with the substitute Taz Bricknell scoring. However, they could not level the scores, with McGoverne’s conversion legally disrupted by Lauren Torley. Exeter continued to pile on pressure and were rewarded by McGoverne’s heroic penalty.
Harlequins’ captain Lagi Tuima said: “It shows sport is brutal and it does come down to the very last minute. Fair play to Exeter for winning it in their own way. But for us there are a lot of good things to [come away with]. We’ll focus on those good bits and build on the things we need to improve on for next weekend.”
Next up for Harlequins are defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury, while Exeter welcome Leicester Tigers with their internationals still away as the WXV tournaments finish on 12 October.
