Loughborough Lightning today announce that club captain, Daisy Hibbert-Jones, has penned a new multi-year contract to remain with the club.
The Birkenhead-born forward was ever-present in the Premiership Women’s Rugby 2024/25 season and amassed more minutes (1,272) than any other player in the league across the regular season and only four other players made more than her haul of 194 tackles.
This season, the back row has been the heartbeat of the side, earning a Player of the Match award in the East Midlands Derby victory over Leicester Tigers in Round 5 and has been crucial to Lightning’s charge towards the top four.
After committing her future to the club, Hibbert-Jones insists there is nowhere else she would rather be than at Lightning.
“Lightning is the best place for me,” she said. “I've embedded myself in the club here over the past four seasons that I’ve been playing, and I’m really enjoying playing and training with this core group of girls that we have, and there’s no better fit for me in the league.
“One of the leading factors for me joining Lightning was that Sarah Hunter was here, and she was the starting No.8, and as a young aspiring back row at the time, there was nobody better to learn from.
“I learned so much from Sarah before she retired, and then an opportunity came for me to step up. Since then, I’ve grown massively, becoming a regular in the team sheet. I believe that’s because of how hard I’ve worked on and off the training field.”
“I think that we’re in such an exciting place that I want to stay a part of. We’re in a position now where that top four is a tangible goal that we can reach, and I’m excited by that, and I want to stay in this area and keep on driving for success over the next couple of years as well.
“There is so much growth for the team, which I think is a hugely exciting prospect for the players, the coaches, and me, that we are getting the results that we want. We’re getting the points we need for the table, but there are still areas where we know we can improve.”
Hibbert-Jones is a firm fan favourite at cinch Stadium, winning the Lightning Supporters’ Player of the Year Award in both of the past two seasons. Currently sitting on 62 appearances in African Violet, she passed the 50-appearance mark for Lightning last term against Gloucester-Hartpury, just two years after becoming Lightning player #104 when she made her try-scoring debut against Wasps in 2022.
She has also previously worked as a coach for the Northampton Saints Community team, before taking up a new role as forwards and defence coach for Moulton College ACE team.
“I love the support that we get at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens,” she added. “The group of people who come to support us are pretty mighty. They’re so loud. They are our 16th player on the field. You can definitely hear them, and that’s grown this season again; the stands are getting busier.
“One of my favourite parts of a match day is going and engaging with all the supporters in the stand after the game; we have such loyal supporters. They make us little friendship bracelets and key rings, it’s so nice to be able to engage with them and get to know a little bit about their story and why they like coming to watch us.
Hibbert-Jones overcame significant adversity early in her career before she joined Lightning, when she suffered an ACL, MCL and meniscus tear at the age of just 17. But she has more than made up for lost time, gaining international recognition with England U20 before earning her first Red Roses cap in the 2023 WXV competition, when she arrived as a replacement for injured club-mate Sadia Kabeya and made her senior international debut against Australia.
“A big thank you has to go to the girls at the club because without them, I wouldn’t be in this position,” Hibbert- Jones continued.
“We’re in a really exciting place where we can continue to build. And thank you as well to the coaching group for seeing that there is more potential in me and that I can still kick on more as a player leading this team.”
Having been named as a co-captain for the 2024/25 season, Hibbert-Jones took on the full responsibility as captain following Rachel Malcolm’s departure and it’s something the 23-year-old continues to relish.
She said: “This season, being the standalone captain, I felt a huge responsibility and weight on my shoulders, and I’m really lucky that the leadership team that I have around me are some of the highest calibre of women’s rugby players in the world on both the international stage and in the PWR. So, to have those supporting me in that role makes my life so much easier.”
The back-rower has started all seven of Lightning’s PWR matches so far this season, and it’s that reliable nature that head coach Nathan Smith was keen to keep in the programme.
“I am delighted to sign Daisy on a multi-year deal,” said Smith. “It is a statement of intent by the programme to keep our key players at the club, and Daisy is essential to what we are striving to achieve on and off the pitch at Lightning.
“Daisy has been performing exceptionally well this season. You can see by her performances on the pitch and by her physical stature that she is completely different from when I first started working with her. She is far more advanced than she was three years ago.
“She is pushing some of the top numbers in the PWR for a back rower, and the scary thing is, she still has huge growth in her game to get even better.
“Daisy has grown as a player and as a leader considerably during my time at the club.
“Her leadership is growing week by week, and we are really looking forward to working with her in the future as not only her performances grow, but so do Lightning’s.
“What I do like about Daisy is that she connected the whole club, from your first year into the programme players to your top-level international players. She binds the group together and was a reason why I wanted her to be captain and lead the team long term.”
The next opportunity to watch Hibbert-Jones at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens is on Sunday 22 February, when Lightning take on Bristol Bears in Round 12 of the 2025/26 Premiership Women’s Rugby season. Early Bird discounted tickets priced from £10* adult and £3* child are available by clicking HERE until Tuesday 27 January at 11.59am, after which tickets go on General Sale priced from £12 adult* / £10 concession* (65+) / £9* young adult (19-30), £5* junior / £4* child.
*Tickets are subject to a £1.50 booking fee.