Loughborough Lighting today confirm that USA internationals Tahlia Brody and Rachel Ehrecke will leave the Club at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.
Lightning players #152 and #153, respectively, Brody and Ehrecke both signed for Lightning ahead of the 2025/26 PWR season following the conclusion of their involvement in the Rugby World Cup 2025 for the USA Eagles.
“I’d like to thank both Tahlia and Rachel for their contribution to Lightning during the 2025/26 season,” said Lightning Head Coach Nathan Smith. “Both players brought international experience to our pack and I wish them well with the next steps of their careers.”
Tahlia Brody
#152, 14 Apps, 5 Points
Brody signed from East Midlands rivals Leicester Tigers, having scored 12 tries in 21 games, including three in four PWR games against the Lightning across that period, as well as making her international debut for the USA against Spain in March 2023.
She went on to make her debut for Lightning against Harlequins in the opening game of the 2025/26 PWR season under the lights at the Twickenham Stoop as a replacement before starting the following week in her first home game at cinch Stadium, scoring one of the tries of the season against Sale Sharks.
Rachel Ehrecke
#153, 12 Apps, 10 points
Ehrecke signed for Loughborough Lightning from Denver Onyx ahead of the 2025/26 PWR season following the conclusion of her involvement in the Rugby World Cup 2025 for the USA Eagles, where she featured from the bench in the defeat to England and the draw with Australia.
She played 12 times in the African Violet, making her debut as a replacement in the 19-12 victory at cinch Stadium against Sale Sharks in October.
The 30-year-old started playing rugby at 16 whilst at high school and went on to a four-year collegiate career at Penn State University, where she earned league MVP honours and won three National Championships and made her international debut in November 2021 against North American rivals Canada during the Pacific Four Series.
