Gloucester-Hartpury delivered a fairytale ending for their departing head coach, Sean Lynn, as they defeated Saracens in the London club’s own back yard to win their third Premiership Women’s Rugby trophy in a row. Lynn, who is leaving to become the new Wales women’s head coach, has been at the club since 2019 and has transformed the team from a mid-table side to the first club to win the PWR three times consecutively.
Lynn’s departure was on fans’ minds from the outset. Gloucester supporters made a tunnel for the team as they arrived at the ground with the usual songs of “Gloucester” loud and clear. But when they saw Lynn the chants turned to repeated calls of “Lynny”. Lynn described the gesture as “lovely” and that the trophy win was a moment he would “treasure for ever”.
He said: “To have my family in that huddle, dreams do come true. To finish this five-year stint with Gloucester-Hartpury with the three‑peat, it is very special. I cannot fault them. The players, the staff, it is a very special club.”
The prop Maud Muir was named player of the match in an impressive performance but the co-captain Natasha “Mo” Hunt also led well and marshalled her team skilfully, despite a first-half yellow card.
While by full-time the scoreline was dominant, Gloucester did make it hard for themselves. It has been a theme for them this season. They have absorbed a lot of attacking pressure in the early phases of games but turned their fortunes around, which was the tale of the final.
Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra heralded the team’s entry to the pitch and it was not long before magic was on display. Mia Venner found a hole in the defence and offloaded to Kate Williams, who went over. The Saracens full-back Jess Breach created a similar score at the opposite end but finished the effort herself to continue her impressive form after returning from injury.
A lack of discipline from Gloucester allowed Saracens to edge up the pitch and they deployed their deadly rolling maul. Gloucester brought it down illegally which led to a penalty try and Hunt being sent to the sin bin. Saracens took full advantage of being a player up with an incredible team try finished off by Lotte Sharp.
Gloucester managed to stem the bleeding, with full-back Emma Sing and Venner scoring, but it was Saracens who led 19-15 half-time. Gloucester retook the lead at the start of the second half with tries by Muir and the hooker Neve Jones. Despite going down to 14 again, with Alex Matthews given a yellow card for a high tackle on Poppy Cleall, they did not concede any points.
Hunt was next and last to score to deliver the three-peat. The final whistle brought rapturous cheers from the Gloucester fans, with the players mobbing each other and Lynn was spotted hugging his staff and jumping in celebration. Then the chant that started the day closed it as “Lynny, Lynny” rang around the stadium.
The Gloucester co-captain Zoe Aldcroft said: “It’s super emotional but I am buzzing we got the chance to get the third title for him. He has been unbelievable for us and built that legacy that no team has done this before. I am super proud we could do this for him.
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“Lynn has made sure we are in this together. When we step on the pitch we are fighting for each other, we don’t let anyone go alone. That is what he has created.”
The emotional highs for Gloucester gave Saracens heartbreak but they already have next season’s trophy in mind. The Saracens head coach, Alex Austerberry, said: “We lost the league final against Harlequins at Gloucester [in 2021], we came back and won it a year after so that is what is exciting.
“Gloucester are a very good side who are in a purple patch and it’s going to take a good side to knock them off. We have been there before and I am sure we will be there again. We look forward to going one step further with the challenge they have set down to the league as a whole.”
Saracens will have a long wait to start their route for revenge as the PWR returns in October after the Rugby World Cup, which is taking place in England this year. Lynn, who continues Women’s Six Nations preparation at 9am on Monday morning, will lead Wales in that tournament and hope to continue his silverware run.