Trailfinders Upset Reigning Champions Gloucester-Hartpury to Secure Final Spot

Trailfinders Upset Reigning Champions Gloucester-Hartpury to Secure Final Spot

Trailfinders stunned Gloucester-Hartpury with a thrilling 29-26 victory, earning a place in their first Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) final. The match took place at Kingsholm, rebranded as Queensholm for the PWR playoffs. The reigning champions, Gloucester-Hartpury, who had dominated the league for the past three seasons, initially took control with a try from Tatyana Heard. However, Trailfinders, newcomers to the PWR in 2023 and previously never finishing higher than sixth, mounted an impressive comeback. In a remarkable first half, Trailfinders scored four unanswered tries: Maya Montiel Meg Jones Isla Norman-Bell Emma Uren This offensive surge propelled them to a commanding 24-7 lead at halftime. The second half saw Gloucester-Hartpury attempting a comeback, beginning with a try from Rachel Lund, which narrowed the gap to 10 points. Georgia Brock then added another try, bringing the score to 24-21. However, Isla Norman-Bell struck again, scoring her second try to extend Trailfinders' lead to 29-21. Despite a late effort from Hannah Dallavalle of Gloucester-Hartpury, Trailfinders held strong, securing a historic and hard-fought victory.

Source: BBC Sport - 2026-06-14