Tennent’s Women’s Premiership 2022/23 Semi-Final 2 | Preview

20 Jan 2023

Tomorrow we will find out who will face Corstorphine Cougars in the Tennent’s Women's Premiership final as Stirling County take on Heriot’s Blues at Peffermill Playing Fields, Edinburgh (kick off 5.15pm).

Stirling finished top of the pile in the regular season, winning 11 of their 12 games and collecting 55 points.

Heriot’s Blues ended up in fourth place, with six wins, five losses and a draw, earning 33 points.

County’s top of the league form had awarded them the home advantage for this play-off, however due to the current freezing conditions, Bridgehaugh has been declare unfit for play, and now sees the game scheduled at a neutral venue with an all-weather surface.

Speaking ahead of the game, Stirling County Head Coach Mark Ainsworth said: “We’re looking forward to the upcoming Play-Offs semi-final against Heriot’s.

“It’s sure to be an exciting game as both teams like to play a similar style of free-flowing rugby and hopefully the weather allows it to be the spectacle that the women’s game deserves.”

Stirling have won both of the encounters between the two sides this season. In October, they were 53-17 winners in the clash at Bridgehaugh, and in December they won the reverse fixture 24-41. But Ainsworth and his squad won’t rest on their laurels based on those results.

He added: “We know that the two previous games mean absolutely nothing and knockout rugby is all about who performs on the day.”

Heriot’s Blues Head Coach Lucy Brown said: “This is Heriot’s second season in the Premiership and to reach the semi-final, the first club to do so in their second season, highlights just how much the players and coaching team have really worked hard to develop in a short time.”

The Heriot’s side have been preparing for the semi-final with a friendly fixture, having played their last league game on 7 January.

Brown explained: “We know what Stirling have to offer, and a friendly with Edinburgh University has really helped establish key areas of success for us as a squad, as well as build confidence going into this week.”

And Brown is also keen not to over-analyse the two previous meetings between the sides this season.

“As a squad we’ve got nothing to lose and are proud of how far we’ve come, so everyone is excited to go out there and enjoy every minute of the game and put things right from the last two times we’ve met Stirling.”