Loughborough Lightning Head Coach Nathan Smith has made one change to his starting XV to face Bristol Bears this Sunday (14 December, kick-off 3pm) away at Shaftesbury Park.
Lightning travel to the south west in fourth place in the Premiership Women’s Rugby table for their penultimate fixture ahead of the festive break – in a match which is being live streamed on PWR’s YouTube channel.
The one change to the run-out side comes in the backline, with USA international Bulou Mataitoga returning after recovering from a head injury. She features in a backline alongside Lucia Scott, following an impressive first PWR start for Lightning last week against Saracens, as well as the league’s joint second top try scorer, Bo Westcombe-Evans.
It’s an unchanged centre partnership of Carmela Morrall, who remains Lightning’s only player to start all ten league and cup games so far this season, alongside Alev Kelter, who tops the league for defenders beaten.
Alicia Maude and Helen Nelson are the half-back pairing for a fourth consecutive game.
The pack features six internationally capped players, including two Rugby World Cup winners in lock Lilli Ives Campion and openside flanker, Sadia Kabeya.
USA international Rachel Ehrecke is in the second row once more following her first start for Lightning last weekend, and is joined by fellow Eagle Mae Sagapolu, who packs down in the front row with Scotland loosehead Anne Young and England U20 hooker Lucy Calladine.
Daisy Hibbert-Jones captains the African Violet from blindside flanker, and the league’s top carrier Haineala Lutui packs down at No.8.
There are two changes on the bench as Isla Curphey and Kendall Waudby come back into the matchday 23.
After picking up a bonus point win in Round 1 against Leicester Tigers, Sunday’s opponents Bristol have finished their next four games empty handed – a run Lightning coach Rachel Taylor is hoping to extend this weekend.
She said: “Bristol Bears have got a squad stacked with quality, so it is hard to put your finger on why it is not clicking for them. I certainly imagine it will at some point, obviously for us going into this game, we hope it is not this weekend!
“For us it is about starting well, we didn’t start the Saracens game well, it is about getting out of the blocks and being dominant in that area, set our stall out early doors. We don’t want to give them a chance to get into the game because that is what they thrive on.”
Bristol vs Loughborough Lightning
Premiership Women’s Rugby, Round 7
Sunday 14 December, 2025
Shaftesbury Park
Kick-off: 3pm
15 Lucia Scott
14 Bulou Mataitoga
13 Alev Kelter
12 Carmela Morrall
11 Bo Westcombe-Evans
10 Helen Nelson
9 Lis Maude
1 Anne Young
2 Lucy Calladine
3 Mae Sagapolu
4 Lilli Ives Campion
5 Rachel Ehrecke
6 Daisy Hibbert-Jones ©
7 Sadia Kabeya
8 Haineala Lutui
Replacements:
16 Kathryn Treder
17 Isla Curphey
18 Christine Belisle
19 Becky Boyd
20 Kendall Waudby
21 Tahlia Brody
22 Megan Davey
23 Lia Green
Bristol: 15. Ella Lovibond, 14. Reneeqa Bonner, 13. Emma Orr, 12. Savannah Picton-Powell, 11. Millie David, 10. Ruahei Demant, 9. Tilly Ryall; 1. Hannah Botterman, 2. Amy Dale, 3. Elliann Clarke, 4. Hollie Cunningham, 5. Abbie Ward (c), 6. Christiana Balogun, 7. Jenny Herring, 8. Evie Gallagher.
Replacements: 16. Jess Sprague, 17. Simi Pam, 18. Aisha Jah, 19. Pamphinette Buisa, 20. Gwennan Hopkins, 21. Seren Singleton, 22. Lucie Skuse, 23. Jasmine Joyce