Loughborough Lightning have selected a starting line-up with an average of just 21 for the trip to Bristol Bears this weekend, with four changes made to the XV and two players set to make their debuts as replacements.
Following the Scotland call-up of Christine Belisle to become the 15th Lightning player participating in the 2025 Rugby World Cup, Grace Clifford makes her first Loughborough start in 98 weeks, in Saturday’s PWR: The Cup encounter at Shaftesbury Park (kick-off: 1pm).
A second personnel change in the front row sees Amelia Williams pack down at loosehead prop. Ellie Roberts returns at openside flanker while Cieron Bell, fresh from scoring her third try in as many games against Saracens, goes from the start on the right wing.
Two further positional switches see Ellen Scantlebury move to the left wing, and Kendall Waudby operate from blindside flanker having worn the number seven shirt last time out.
Head coach Nathan Smith, who has handed debuts to seven players in the opening three rounds of the Cup so far, is set to add prop Churchy Knight and loose forward Keeva Corry to that list in the West Country.
Daisy Hibbert-Jones remains unavailable due to injury, so Carmela Morrall captains the side for a third time this summer from inside centre, and extends her partnership with Ellie Tromans into a fourth-straight game.
Lightning’s all-time record appearance maker Meg Davey, aged just 25, is the oldest player by two years in the starting line-up and continues her unbroken half-back partnership with fly-half Lia Green in the 2025/26 campaign so far.
Hooker Lucy Calladine is another Cup ever-present and is vice-captain, Tamsin Baynes and Keevy Fitzpatrick partner up at second row for a third consecutive game and Haineala Lutui – fresh from scoring her first senior try last time out – is at No.8.
Scotland international Lucia Scott, who became Lightning player #148 against Saracens, keeps her spot at fullback.
Tiwaah Adjei-Ansere and Isla Curphey provide front-row options from the bench and the versatile talents of Lucy Finch is primed to arrive in either the second or back rows. Scrum-half Alicia Maude, centre Molly Luthayi and winger Evelyn Clarke complete the list of replacements.
“We have focused on ourselves this week, I think we got a bit bogged down with preview analysis and worrying about the opposition recently,” said Smith. “Saturday provides us with a reset to focus on ourselves and where we want to grow and improve in what is our last hit out before the end of the Rugby World Cup and the start of the Premiership Women’s Rugby season.
“This Cup block was always going to have a heavy focus on player development and that has proven to be the case with the age profile of our matchday squads, the number of debuts and also players to returning to action after periods out of action.”
Bristol Bears vs Loughborough Lightning
PWR: The Cup, Round 4
Saturday 13 September, 2025
Kick-off: 1pm
15 Lucia Scott
14 Cieron Bell
13 Ellie Tromans
12 Carmela Morrall ©
11 Ellen Scantlebury
10 Lia Green
9 Meg Davey
1 Amelia Williams
2 Lucy Calladine
3 Grace Clifford
4 Tamsin Baynes
5 Keevy Fitzpatrick
6 Kendall Waudby
7 Ellie Roberts
8 Haineala Lutui
Replacements:
16 Churchy Knight – Lightning debut
17 Tiwaah Adjei-Ansere
18 Isla Curphey
19 Lucy Finch
20 Keeva Corry – Lightning debut
21 Alicia Maude
22 Molly Luthayi
23 Evelyn Clarke
With thanks to Loughborough Lightning
