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Saracens went top of the Premiership Women’s Rugby table with a bonus-point win at Exeter, while Aoife Wafer made her long-awaited Harlequins debut in a 22-17 victory over Sale.
In Saturday’s other match, Trailfinders ran in nine tries in a convincing 57-10 win against bottom club Leicester.
Sarries are level on points with defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury, who are on a bye week after starting the campaign with six consecutive bonus-point victories.
They were made to work hard for their win by Exeter, who led 14-5 late in the first half thanks to two tries from Canada centre Alex Tessier.
May Campbell and Julia Omokhuale replied to ensure Sarries were only four points behind at the interval, before Louise McMillan and Donna Rose crossed to wrap up a 24-14 victory.
At Twickenham Stoop, England full-back Ellie Kildunne scored the first of Quins’ four tries after Scotland international Rhona Lloyd had given the visitors an early lead.
Beth Wilcock, Sarah Parry and Connie Powell secured a try bonus point, although Shona Campbell’s late score set up a nervous finale.
It was announced in May that 22-year-old back row Wafer, the 2025 Women’s Six Nations player of the tournament, would move to Harlequins from Leinster after the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
However, injuries sustained in Ireland’s quarter-final defeat by France in September meant she has had to wait until the seventh round of league fixtures to make her first appearance for her new club.
She came off the bench to play the final 30 minutes.
Quins’ win moved them up to fourth in the table, back above Trailfinders, for whom Vicky Laflin scored two first-half tries in their emphatic victory over Leicester.
Bristol Bears host Loughborough Lightning on Sunday (15:00 GMT).
