Three of Loughborough Lightning’s summer signings Alicia Maude, Cieron Bell and Grace Deane will make their debuts in this weekend’s opening round Premiership Women’s Rugby fixture against Bristol Bears.
Former GB 7s star Maude vice-captains the side from scrum-half, Scotland Under-20 international Bell features on the left wing and former Cheltenham Tigers back Deane starts on the right wing in the cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens encounter on Saturday 5 October (kick-off: 3pm.
Head coach Nathan Smith also hands first PWR starts to hooker Lucy Calladine, flanker Ellie Roberts and second row Becky Boyd while replacements Issy Winter, Freya Greensmith, Keevy Fitzpatrick and Freya MacColl are in-line to play their first PWR minutes – with the latter also set to make her competitive Lightning debut having impressed in the PWR Up Series games against Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers.
The starting line-up has five survivors from the side that ran out for Lightning’s last league game four months ago against Saracens, with Daisy Hibbert-Jones captaining the side from number eight.
Also joining her in the pack from that fixture back in June are props Isla Curphey and Laura Keates as well as Canadian lock Abby Duguid while Meg Davey showcases her half-back versatility by operating from fly-half.
The forward pack is completed by the blindside flanker, Kendall Waudby, who scored two tries in the first PWR Up Series game against Sale Sharks last month.
Lia Green moves from fly-half – where she started against Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers – to full-back while Carmela Morrall and Ellen Scantlebury retain their roles in the Lightning midfield.
Katherine Baverstock, Amelia Williams and Tiwaah Adjei-Ansere are the front row replacements and Lucy Weaver provides the alternative scrum-half option from the bench.
“We’re excited to get the PWR season underway in front of our supporters at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens,” said Smith. “This group has been together a long time during preseason building towards this moment. The squad has so many young players with huge potential taking to the field, including many who will be starting their PWR careers on Saturday afternoon.”
LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING vs BRISTOL BEARS
Premiership Women’s Rugby, Round 1
Saturday 5 October, 2024
Kick-off: 3pm
15 Lia Green
14 Grace Deane – Loughborough Lightning debut/PWR debut
13 Ellen Scantlebury
12 Carmela Morris
11 Cieron Bell – Loughborough Lightning debut/PWR debut
10 Meg Dave’s
9 Alicia Maude (vc) – Loughborough Lightning debut
1 Isla Curphey
2 Lucy Calladine – First PWR start
3 Laura Keates
4 Abby Duguid
5 Becky Boyd – PWR debut
6 Kendall Waudby
7 Ellie Roberts – PWR debut
8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones (c)
Replacements:
16 Katherine Baverstock
17 Amelia Williams
18 Tiwaah Adjei-Ansere
19 Keevy Fitzpatrick – PWR debut
20 Issy Winter – PWR debut
21 Lucy Weaver
22 Freya MacColl – Loughborough Lightning debut/PWR debut
23 Freya Greensmith – PWR debut
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