Helen Nelson’s nerveless stoppage-time conversion secured three match points for Loughborough Lightning from a thrilling 29-29 draw with Trailfinders Women.
Fancy Bermudez’s late try earned her side a chance to claim a share of the spoils just moments after Rosie Inman thought she had sealed the win for Trailfinders with a converted try with a minute to play.
Sadia Kabeya’s first-half brace and Kathryn Treder’s score were cancelled out by three tries and a penalty from the visitors to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, as Lightning enter the new year one point outside the Premiership Women’s Rugby play-off places.
FIRST HALF
Trailfinders enjoyed the lion’s share of the opening exchanges without getting any scoreboard reward, with their brightest attacking moment being snuffed out by a brilliant breakdown burgle from Alev Kelter.
But they were not to be denied with their next entry into the 22 as Carys Cox made a fine diagonal break, and from the quickly recycled ball, there was no stopping Abi Burton in the left corner.
The Lightning response was instant. The kick-off was spilt, and a penalty was earned soon after. Mae Sagapolu tapped and bashed a hole, before Kabeya spotted an unguarded edge of the resulting ruck to cross the line.
Scores did not stay level for long as Trailfinders kept it tight, sucking in African Violet shirts, allowing simple hands to put Georgia Ponsonby over untouched. Inman landed the tricky conversion to pull her side seven points clear.
Trailfinders lost Meg Jones to a shoulder injury and were then unceremoniously shoved off their own scrum within 20 metres of their own line. When a trick lineout fell just short, Lightning swarmed and made sure they came away with points, as Kabeya drove over for her second try of the game and her fifth of a prolific season so far. Nelson’s conversion pulled the scores level at the break.
SECOND HALF
The tense and fiercely-contested nature of the first half continued into the third quarter as the only scoring action came in the 50th minute when Lightning twice kicked to the corner, and at the second attempt, hooker Treder finished off a powerful rolling maul.
The first hour of the match was best described as an arm wrestle, the final 20 minutes was akin to the final round of a heavyweight bout as both sides traded blows.
The first jab was landed by fullback Scott, who reeled in Nelson’s looping pass to step in-field and finish well as Lightning built a ten-point lead.
Those with memories of last season’s dramatic encounter between these two sides at cinch Stadium – which was settled by Helena Rowland’s last-minute drop-goal – knew this edition was unlikely to end without some fireworks.
Lightning found themselves on the ropes as Trailfinders landed 17 points in 13 minutes. Kate Zackary crossed out wide, Inman added the conversion and a penalty before then converting her own try with only a minute left to play.
Somehow, it wasn’t to be the killer blow. Inman’s clearance went out on the full, giving the African Violets one last chance to strike.
After a strong period of possession and powerful breakdown work, Meg Davey engineered a small break from nowhere and offloaded brilliantly for Bermudez to rampage over for her first Lightning try.
In the third minute of added time, Nelson coolly stepped up to stroke over the conversion, which tied the scores, secured three match points and extended Lightning’s unbeaten run at cinch Stadium to five games – with their next outing in front of their own fans being the visit of Bristol Bears on 22 February, 2026.
HEAD COACH NATHAN SMITH
“First and foremost, it was a great advert for the PWR, it was a great advert for everybody who has come down to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens and watched. It had everything.”
LINE-UPS
LIGHTNING: 15. Scott, 14. Mataitoga, 13. Kelter, 12. Morrall, 11. Westcombe-Evans, 10. Nelson, 9. Maude; 1. Curphey, 2. Treder, 3. Sagapolu, 4. Ives Campion, 5. Ehrecke, 6. Hibbert-Jones ©, 7. Kabeya, 8. Lutui.
Replacements: 16. Waudby, 17. Williams, 18. Belisle, 19. Fitzpatrick, 20. Brody, 21. Davey, 22. Green, 23 Bermudez.
TRAILFINDERS: 15. Inman, 14. White, 13. Jones, 12. Cox, 11. Laflin, 10. Gallagher, 9. Amory; 1. Leathermann, 2. Ponsonby, 3. Montiel, 4. Roos, 5. Borland, 6. Malcolm, 7. Zackary ©, 8. Burton.
Replacements: 16. Blanco, 17. Meta, 18. Evans, 19. Pinnock, 20. Brincat, 21. Moore, 22. Norman-Bell, 23. Gallagher.
Photographs by Maeve Blencowe, Dennis Dixon, Stu Vincent and Claire Jones.