Eight Loughborough Lightning players have been selected by England, Ireland and Scotland ahead of this weekend’s 2026 Six Nations Women’s U21 Series fixtures.
All of the players featured for Loughborough University in last week’s BUCS Super Rugby Milk Championship Final success over Brunel University – with six featuring in the England matchday squad to take on Ireland at The Nick Newbold Stadium in Coventry on Saturday (2 May, kick-off: 3pm).
Kaya Acton will make her debut from openside flanker, and is joined on the back row on the blindside by Tamsin Baynes, who earns her second cap at U21 level. Completing the starting trio is lock Keevy Fitzpatrick.
There’s three more Lightning players amongst the replacements as prop Amelia Williams, scrum-half Ashton Adcock and centre Carmela Morrall are selected.
The Lightning sextet will come up against clubmate Aoibhe Kelly, who has been picked at scrum-half for the visiting Irish team.
Completing the eight Lightning players participating this weekend is Lucy Finch, who is selected as blindside flanker for Scotland as they take on France in Tarbes on Saturday (kick-off: 2pm UK).
England U21 Women’s team to face Ireland
15 Solana Shaw de Leon (Harlequins, Sutton and Epsom, 1 cap)
14 Grace White (Trailfinders Women, Winscombe RFC, 2 caps) *
13 Millie Hyett (Bristol Bears, Evesham RFC, 9 caps)
12 Molly Bunker (Gloucester-Hartpury, Havant RFC, 3 caps)
11 Jemma-Jo Linkins (Saracens, Ashford RFC, uncapped) *
10 Ella Cromack (Harlequins, Reading RFC, 8 caps)
9 Amelia MacDougall (Saracens, Old Albanian RFC, 8 caps)
1 Annabel Meta (Trailfinders Women, Wimbledon RFC, 5 caps)
2 Hayley Jones (Trailfinders Women, Ealing Trailfinders, 1 cap)
3 Aisha Jah (Bristol Bears, Mansfield, 1 cap)
4 Jodie Verghese (Saracens, Thurrock RFC, 1 cap) *
5 Keevy Fitzpatrick (Loughborough Lightning, Sudbury RFC, 3 caps)
6 Tamsin Baynes (Loughborough Lightning, Market Harborough RFC, 1 cap)
7 Kaya Acton (Loughborough Lightning, Hull Ionians RFC, uncapped)
8 Sophie McQueen (c) (Gloucester-Hartpury, Chippenham RFC, 4 caps)
Replacements
16 Lucy Simpson (Gloucester-Hartpury, Rams RFC, 3 caps)
17 Amelia Williams (Loughborough Lightning, Medway RFC, 11 caps)
18 Lilly Plowman (Exeter Chiefs, Crediton RFC, 2 caps)
19 Jasmine Adonri (Trailfinders Women, Dartford Valley Rugby Club, 3 caps)
20 Grace Keel (Harlequins, North Bristol, 1 cap)
21 Ashton Adcock (Loughborough Lightning, Tamworth, 1 cap)
22 Carmela Morrall (Loughborough Lightning, Dubai Hurricanes, 8 caps)
23 Lauren Bailey (Bristol Bears, Dings Crusaders, uncapped)
Ireland U21 Women’s team to face England
15 Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
14 Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
13 Niamh Murphy (Galwegians RFC/Leinster)
12 Lucia Linn (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(captain)
11 Emily Foley (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
10 Caitríona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
9 Aoibhe Kelly (Loughborough Lightning/Leinster)
1 Ella Burns (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
2 Sarah Delaney (Blackrock RFC/Leinster)
3 Roisin Maher (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby)
4 Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
5 Aoibheann McGrath (Ballincollig RFC/Munster)
6 Sally Kelly (Ennis RFC/Munster)
7 Ailish Quinn (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
8 Jemima Adams Verling (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
Replacements
16 Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
17 Grainne Burke (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
18 Alisha Flynn (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster)
19 Naoise Smyth (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
20 Poppy Garvey (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)
21 Amy Larn (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
22 Siofra Hession (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
23 Heidi Lyons (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)
Scotland U21 Women’s team to face France
15 Hannah Smyth (Glasgow Warriors/Hartpury University)
14 Emily Norval – Glasgow Warriors/Stirling County
13 Lisa Brown (Edinburgh Rugby/University of Edinburgh)
12 Millie Warren – Glasgow Warriors/Hillhead Jordanhill
11 Scarlett Haddow (Edinburgh Rugby/Stirling County)
10 Poppy Mellanby (Glasgow Warriors/University of Edinburgh)
9 Emily Love (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonian FC)
1 Poppy Fletcher (Glasgow Warriors/University of Edinburgh)
2 Megan Hyland – Captain (Glasgow Warriors/Heriots Rugby Club)
3 Imogen Spence (Glasgow Warriors/University of Edinburgh)
4 Charlotte Russell (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonian FC)
5 Gemma Thomson (Glasgow Warriors/Stirling County)
6 Lucy Finch (Loughborough Lightning/Loughborough University)
7 Gemma Bell (Glasgow Warriors/Hartpury University)
8 Merryn Gunderson (Edinburgh Rugby)
Replacements
16 Aicha Sutcliffe (Glasgow Warriors/Stirling County)
17 Talei Tawake (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonian FC)
18 Faye Sutherland (Edinburgh Rugby/Heriots Rugby Club)
19 Scarlet Down (Brunel University/Trailfinders Women)
20 Catriona Moody (Edinburgh Rugby/University of Edinburgh0
21 Ceitidh Ainsworth (Glasgow Warriors/Stirling County)
22 Lucy MacRae (Edinburgh Rugby/University of Edinburgh)
23 Nicole Flynn (Glasgow Warriors/University of Edinburgh)