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Gloucester-Hartpury's trip to unbeaten Saracens this weekend is set to be a "physical battle" says coach Andrew Ford as they travel off the back of a first league defeat.

The two-time defending champions head to London after being beaten by Exeter last Saturday, only their fourth regular season league loss across the last three seasons.

Saracens, who won the Women's Premiership in 2018 and 2019, are top of the table having taken maximum points from their first three games.

"If you look at it on paper, they're the only team that beat us last year in the PWR [Premiership Women's Rugby]," Ford, the club's women's academy manager, told ���˿��� Radio Gloucestershire.

"Saracens have really flown the flag for women's rugby over the last four, five, six years. It's a grudge match isn't it and we're looking forward to getting out there and hopefully putting the result our way."

Saracens were the only side to beat Gloucester-Hartpury last season as they powered to a second league title, and they also counted for one of their two losses during 2022-23.

Ford said the match was going to be "very physical".

"We want to go and show that we can perform away at Saracens. The girls are excited for it, we know that it's going to be a very physical battle and I think that's where the game's going to be won or lost this weekend," he said.

"That's probably a big focus for us this week. We're fully aware that any top four game - probably any top six game in this league - is going to be tough."

Gloucester-Hartpury have started to welcome back some of the 21 international players they had missing for their opening games due to the WXV tournament.

Ford said the players had suffered with jet lag and tiredness on their return from Canada and they hoped they would see the benefit of resting them for their last game in weeks to come.

"This week has been about getting the girls who have come back in back on board with what we've really looked at for the last two years and again some slight tweaks going into this season," Ford said.

"It's really careful and vital now that we balance this squad correctly over the next few weeks.

"These last weeks have shown us who can step up to the mark and be part of this PWR squad."