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Canada's Tuttosi scores in losing cause as Exeter loses English women's rugby final

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Canadian hooker Emily Tuttosi handles the ball during 2022 Women's Rugby World Cup match against the United States at Waitakere Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. Tuttosi scored in a losing cause Saturday as the Exeter Chiefs were beaten 34-19 by Gloucester-Hartpury in the Allianz Premier 15s women's rugby final. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Rugby Canada, Simon Watts, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

GLOUCESTER, United Kingdom — Canadian international hooker Emily Tuttosi scored in a losing cause Saturday as the Exeter Chiefs were beaten 34-19 by Gloucester-Hartpury in the Allianz Premier 15s women's rugby final.

Canadian prop DaLeaka Menin also started for Exeter, which lost last year's final 43-21 to Saracens. The Chiefs had hoped for a league and cup double this year after winning the Allianz Cup in May.

Tuttosi scored at the back of a driving maul in the 28th minute with the conversion giving Exeter a 7-5 lead. But Gloucester-Hartpury led 17-7 at the half and added to its score early in the second half with a penalty try that resulted in wing Claudia MacDonald being sent to the sin-bin for intentionally knocking the ball out of play in the endzone.

Kelsey Jones, Rachel Lund, Sarah Beckett and Lisa Neumann scored tries for Gloucester-Hartpury. Emma Sing kicked a penalty and two conversions.

Liv McGoverne and Ebony Jeffries also scored tries for Exeter. McGoverne and Gabby Cantorna each kicked a conversion.

The final drew a record crowd of 9,668.

Gloucester-Hartpury (16-2-0) topped the regular-season standings before beating the Bristol Bears to advance to the final at Kingsholm Stadium, which was rebranded as "Queensholm" for the occasion.

Exeter finished runner-up in the regular season, defeating Saracens in the semifinal.

Only Saracens and Harlequins had previously won the English title since the league's inauguration in 2017.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2023

The Canadian Press


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