Loughborough Lightning’s last home game of the season at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens is coming soon – and we’re throwing a party to celebrate!
Lightning take on Saracens on Sunday 31 May (kick-off: 12pm), and there’s a whole host of activities taking place before, during and after the match – which promises to be a cracker – tickets are still available priced from £12* adult and £4* child by clicking HERE.
There’s some exciting new additions to the usual fun-packed match offering for a Lightning match at cinch Stadium – so here’s what you can expect on the day!
BEFORE THE MATCH:
- For the first time ever, Lightning/rugby union inspired temporary tattoos from Bold Designs Fine Lines tattooists in Rushden will be available free of charge in the Fan Zone.
- There will also be face painters and a chance to test your skills in the passing cage!
- Feeling hungry? There will also be an expanded food offering from a normal Lightning matchday, with pizza and ice cream available to purchase. (These will be available during the match too!).
- For the first time ever at a Lightning game, there will be a roaming live camera giving those in the stands the chance to get themselves up on the big screen and join in the fun!
- Talented solo performer Hannah Faulkner will be entertaining the masses before the game and at half-time in the Fan Zone.
- Loughborough Lightning and Northampton Saints Trading Cards will be available to purchase.
- We’re encouraging you all to wear a splash of pink to cinch Stadium as part of the Big Pink Weekend – a landmark league-wide initiative between Premiership Women’s Rugby and Breast Cancer Now that is taking place during Round 17 of the PWR season from 29-31 May,
HALF-TIME:
- A Parent and Child Sports Day Race will take place during the interval, on the pitch!
- We’re looking for parents/guardians and children aged 6-13 to tackle an obstacle course race. The winners will receive a Saints/Lightning beachball – to get involved, please click HERE.
AFTER THE MATCH:
- The Lightning players will bring their signed balls to pitchside at the East Stand to handover to some lucky supporters.
- Fancy a selfie with one of the Lightning stars? There will be opportunities to do that after the whistle, and get items signed too!
- We will be announcing your Lightning Supporters’ Player of the Season, sponsored by the Saints Supporters Club, after the game – there’s still time to cast your vote by clicking HERE!
- Ahead of the game we will be announcing our confirmed leavers (so far) and a short presentation will follow as we say thank you to those players heading onto pastures new at the end of the 2026/27 season.
LIGHTNING VERSUS SARACENS:
This fixture last season served up a slice of history as Lightning secured their first-ever victory in this head-to-head. A repeat of that feat this time around could – with favourable results elsewhere – take their hopes of securing a place in the PWR end-of-season playoffs down to the final weekend, as Lightning travel to East Midlands rivals, Leicester Tigers.
Both Lightning and Saracens’ squads are packed with internationals, with Helena Rowland, Sadia Kabeya, Haineala Lutui and Lilli Ives Campion all playing their part in this season’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations as the Red Roses secured a fifth successive Grand Slam – while visitors Saracens have plenty of England stars too, including Marlie Packer, Zoe Harrison, Jess Breach and Kelsey Clifford.
There will also be no shortage of internationals from other countries too, with the likes of Canada, Scotland, USA and Wales set to be well represented at cinch Stadium.
Full details of everything to expect ahead of the game will be confirmed in our Guide to the Gardens article published a few days before the eagerly-anticipated clash of Lightning and Saracens – purchase your tickets now by clicking HERE!
*All tickets are subject to a £1.50 booking fee.