Head Coach Nathan Smith saw something from his Loughborough Lightning side that he had ‘never seen before’ in their 19-12 victory over Sale Sharks.
Backs were firmly against walls for the majority of the first half as the visitors to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens were the aggressors – but came up against a fierce Loughborough rearguard action.
Ultimately, it was Lightning who went in at half-time ahead with Tahlia Brody crossing the line and two Haineala Lutui tries that followed saw the hosts home for a first win of the 2025/26 Premiership Women’s Rugby season.
“That’s essentially what you build teams and performances on, that grit to want to just shut teams out and find a way to stop them from winning,” said Smith. “I thought we showed that in abundance.
“I said to the girls afterwards, I think 12 to 24 months ago we would’ve lost that game. It was a game that wasn’t really a Lightning game in terms of we couldn’t get speed on the ball, we didn’t really play multiple phases.
“However, we have defended for probably 30, 35 minutes of the first half. We did extremely well to go in at the break having not conceded a point.”
Fresh from making her PWR debut in the Round 1 loss at Harlequins, Lutui was in formidable form once more, landing the first and second tries of her Lightning career and earning herself a bottle of Veuve Clicquot as the player-of-the-match.
“She is just so coachable,” said Smith on the 19-year-old. “Yes she is a ball carrier, but we have spoken a lot in the past week that you can’t just run straight at people any more.
“You’ve got to look to move your feet, be evasive with your carries, and I think she showed that today. She has got a really soft pair of hands as well.
“Ala has got everything to be honest. She will be a big player for us moving forward, and she will be a big player for England as well.
“I think it’s the best burger and chips I’ve ever bought anyone when I took her dad out for something to eat when we were discussing her joining the Club!”
More than 1,600 tickets were sold for the game, with many staying behind afterwards as presentations were made to the retiring duo of Emily Scarratt and Laura Keates.
With another game back at cinch Stadium on Sunday 9 November against Exeter Chiefs – tickets are available by clicking HERE – Smith was pleased to see so many people in the East Stand.
He said: “It was a great effort from the crowd, they really got behind the team. It is great to see the girls stay behind and sign stuff and really carry on that legacy from the World Cup.“