Loughborough Lightning (rugby union)

LSWRFC were initially founded in the late 1970s during a boom in women playing rugby at universities across England.^[3] In 1983, Loughborough Students were one of the founder members of the Women's Rugby Football Union, set up to regulate women's rugby throughout the British Isles.^[4] Two years later, they hosted the American touring Wiverns rugby team and provided a number of players to the Midlands Select XV that played against the Wiverns on their tour.^[5] In 2009, Loughborough worked with the Nottingham Rugby Union in order to promote more men coming to Loughborough matches.^[6] When the British Universities and Colleges Sport rugby union leagues were formed in 2004, Loughborough won the league for the first three consecutive years.^[7]

In 2016, Loughborough Lightning bid for a franchise in the new competition originally known as Women's Super Rugby and now as the Premier 15s, which was replacing the Women's Premiership. A year later it announced that Loughborough Lightning were successful in their bid for a place in the top flight of English women's rugby. This made them the only student team that was awarded a franchise to play in the league.^[8] This was controversial as Loughborough Lightning had not previously played in the RFUW leagues and Lichfield Ladies who had been in the Women's Premiership for 15 years were excluded.^[8]

The Loughborough Lightning squad for the 2025–26 season is:^[9]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

More information Player, Position ...

Player Position Union Elis Martin Hooker Scotland Polly Peterson Hooker England Paige Stathopoulos Hooker United States Kathryn Treder Hooker United States Tiwaa Adjei-Ansere Prop Germany Christine Belisle Prop Scotland Lucy Calladine Prop England Grace Clifford Prop England Isla Curphey Prop England Churchy Knight Prop England Mae Sagapolu Prop United States Catherine Wells Prop England Amelia Williams Prop England Anne Young Prop Scotland Kaya Acton Lock England Tamsin Baynes Lock England Becky Boyd Lock Scotland Keevy Fitzpatrick Lock England Lilli Ives Campion Lock England Tahlia Brody Back row United States Rachel Ehrecke Back row United States Lucy Finch Back row England Daisy Hibbert-Jones Back row England Sadia Kabeya Back row England Haineala Lutui Back row England Ellie Roberts Back row England Kendall Waudby Back row England

Player Position Union Ashton Adcock Scrum-half England Leia Brebner-Holden Scrum-half Scotland Megan Davey Scrum-half England Aoibhe Kelly Scrum-half Ireland Alicia Maude Scrum-half England Lia Green Fly-half England Helena Rowland Fly-half England Alev Kelter Centre United States Molly Luthanyi Centre England Carmela Morrall Centre England Helen Nelson Centre Scotland Ellie May Tromans Centre Wales Fancy Bermudez Wing Canada Evelyn Clarke Wing England Bulou Mataitoga Wing United States Bo Westcombe-Evans Wing England Abbie Brown Fullback England Lucia Scott Fullback Scotland

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Note: Players listed in bold have received at least one senior international test cap.