Premiership Women’s Rugby: Saracens beat champions Gloucester-Harpury as Leanne Infante bows out

Saracens marked centurion Leanne Infante’s final game with a thrilling 49-38 bonus-point win over defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury to move top of the Premiership Women’s Rugby table.

Scrum-half Infante, 31, led out the hosts on her 100th appearance as she called time on her 11-year career at a vociferous StoneX Stdaium, but it was Gloucester who started brightest.

The visitors raced into a 12-0 lead after tries by Mackenzie Carson and Emma Sing either side of a yellow card to Sarries’ Poppy Cleall.

The hosts hit back through a powerful finish by Bryony Field before drawing level through debutant Gabby Senft and then edging in front with Zoe Harrison’s conversion.

McKinley Hunt crashed over to stretch Sarries’ advantage but Rachel Lund reduced the deficit for the visitors, who regained the lead and claimed a try-scoring bonus through Zoe Aldcroft.

Nel Metcalfe crossed a minute before the break to hand Gloucester a 33-21 lead at the interval, but Sarries scored first in the second half through May Campbell before Harrison’s conversion cut the gap to five points.

Lund doubled her tally with 15 minutes remaining to restore Gloucester’s 10-point advantage but the hosts bounced back once again as Jemma-Jo Linkins’ converted try brought Sarries to within five.

Campbell’s strong surge from close range and Harrison’s conversion handed Sarries a slender lead with seven nervy minutes remaining before Senft made certain of the victory with seconds left.

Three-time winners Sarries move to the summit with a maximum return from their opening four games, while Gloucester remain third after their second defeat of the season.