Sadia Kabeya, Helena Rowland and Lilli Ives Campion – Loughborough Lightning’s three 2025 World Cup winning current players – will start together for the first time in club colours since lifting the trophy in Friday night’s clash with Harlequins (kick-off: 7.30pm).
Rowland, who made her return from injury against Sale Sharks last weekend, runs out in Northampton for the first time since landing the last-minute drop goal in Lightning‘s last home Friday night fixture in February 2025 against Trailfinders Women.
Having missed out in Round 13 due to air-travel restrictions delaying her return from a holiday in Dubai, Kabeya slots straight back in at openside flanker, hoping to extend her impressive run of four tries in as many games.
Fresh from scoring her first try of the season with a strong finish at Morson Stadium last time out, second row Ives Campion completes the World Cup winning trio in head coach Nathan Smith’s starting line-up for Friday night’s game – tickets are still available by clicking HERE.
There’s a reshuffle in the backs division as Bulou Mataitoga switches to fullback and Fancy Bermudez returns to the starting line-up on the right wing.
Bo Westcombe-Evans, Carmela Morrall and Alev Kelter continue their season-long dominance of the 11, 12 and 13 shirts, but there is a switch at scrum-half as Lis Maude comes back into the starting line-up, and Meg Davey is named among the replacements.
Kabeya is one of two personnel changes in the run-out side as Scotland prop Anne Young also starts, with Kathryn Treder and Christine Belisle operating at hooker and tighthead prop respectively for a second consecutive game.
Rachel Ehrecke at lock and Haineala Lutui at No.8 are retained in the starting line-up, while captain Daisy Hibbert-Jones continues her journey across the back row this season by switching to blindside flanker.
Lightning have opted for a 6-2 split on the bench, with Paige Stathopoulos, Isla Curphey, Mae Sagapolu, Becky Boyd, Kendall Waudby and Tahlia Brody providing the forward options while flyhalf/fullback Lia Green wears the number 23 shirt in her first squad involvement in four games.
“Friday Night Lights is something we all look forward to, and we have good memories of the last time we played on a Friday night at cinch Stadium,” said head coach Smith. “The last game we had with Quins was a tremendous advert for the league and one for the neutral. Hopefully, this time we can come out on the right side of the result.
“We played some really good rugby in parts against Sale and scored some really nice tries; we just need to pull that together into an 80-minute performance.“
Lightning vs Harlequins Women
Premiership Women’s Rugby, Round 14
Friday, March 13
Kick-off: 7.30pm
15 Bulou Mataitoga (59)
14 Fancy Bermudez (8)
13 Alev Kelter (22)
12 Carmela Morrall (56)
11 Bo Westcombe-Evans (58)
10 Helena Rowland (53)
9 Lis Maude (15)
1 Anne Young (22)
2 Kathryn Treder (38)
3 Christine Belisle (60)
4 Lilli Ives Campion (76)
5 Rachel Ehrecke (10)
6 Daisy Hibbert-Jones (66) (c)
7 Sadia Kabeya (62)
8 Haineala Lutui (14)
Replacements:
16 Paige Stathopoulos (4)
17 Isla Curphey (46)
18 Mae Sagapolu (11)
19 Becky Boyd (24)
20 Kendall Waudby (47)
21 Tahlia Brody (11)
22 Meg Davey (119)
23 Lia Green (30)
(Lightning appearances)