91Èȱ¬

England flanker Alex Matthews wants to keep things simple as she prepares for Gloucester-Hartpury's first Premier 15s final next Saturday.

A week before West Country rivals Exeter Chiefs arrive at Kingsholm, Matthews says "the emotion is there", though she acknowledges that having only joined this season she is not a time-served Cherry and White.

Gloucester-Hartpury have not finished in the top four since the inaugural season of Premier 15s in 2017-18, and there was a huge outpouring of emotion at the end of their semi-final victory over Bristol.

"They are such a tight group and they've been working so hard for years," said Matthews, 29. "I think it was just that relief of: 'We're in a final... we've done it.'"

The players want to stay composed and focused now, though - even with the potential for some added spice in the form of Chiefs coach Susie Appleby.

"The main battle is Susie being the old Gloucester coach," laughs Matthews.

Saturday's final will take place at Kingsholm in Gloucester and a record 5,000 tickets have been sold so far.

The venue was selected before the season started and has to be 'neutral', despite being one of Gloucester-Hartpury's training bases. Indeed the club have had to ask for permission from the Rugby Football Union to use the gym, and will only be allowed one team run on the eve of the match.

Both finalists will have their names on their shirts for the first time, which helps the players feel valued - and also aids fans including the Gloucester 'Shed Heads'.

"One of them came and watched one of our games for the first time," said Matthews. "She said 'the annoying thing is I don't know any of the players' names' so I think that will help with the extra loud support we'll get."

Matthews has played 59 times for England during a career in which she has won the World Cup, been part of Olympic squads in both 2016 and 2020, and been nominated for XVs World Player of the Year in 2022.

Her composure and smiles as we speak are a stark contrast from the uncertain life she lived at the height of the Covid pandemic, when the England Sevens programme had its funding cut.

It was a time when Matthews' campervan 'Daphne' became her sanctuary.

Matthews is now refurbishing an old miner's cottage and living in a caravan with her partner Charlotte, but spends weekends taking Daphne to the coast in Wales to paddleboard and "get on a beach and have some quality time".

She misses the sevens game, and says she may try to get to the Paris Olympics if Team GB qualify.

But for now, 2023 is all about Gloucester-Hartpury - a team Matthews describes as "such a good group" with "good energy and such a good buzz".

"You appreciate each other's individual differences, and having that intensity in training that the Gloucester girls bring and the standards they set, that's what I was looking for," she says.

"I'm definitely enjoying it."