Loughborough Lighting took away many key learnings after facing Exeter Chiefs in their penultimate game of the JAECOO PWR Next Gen Cup, according to try-scoring prop Amelia Williams.
The squad that travelled to Sandy Park featured three debutants and 13 players who have played fewer than ten senior Lightning games, and continues to gain valuable experience as they look ahead to play Leicester Tigers at Loughborough University this weekend.
Despite going down to a 42-12 loss, Williams celebrated her teammates experiencing their first taste of Lightning rugby, as well as highlighting the determination from the girls and the ability to dig deep when the game gets tough.
“I think the main thing that we took away from the game is that we are still a young group to come away to Sandy Park, with a lot of peoples making their first caps as well,” said 22-year-old Williams, whose 34 appearances made her comfortably the second most experienced Lightning player on the pitch, behind 21-year-old Carmela Morrall, who moved to 64 in an African Violet shirt in the South West.
“But I think we dug deep. The first half showed really what we’ve been working on, especially coming off the back of the loss last week, and I think we’ve got a lot of learnings to take on. But I think we should be proud of what we put out there.”
Williams was one of Lightning’s two try scorers in Exeter, as for the second time in her time with the Club, she finished with aplomb from the half-way line.
“It was basically identical to the Harlequins try!” Williams said. “But Cam [Carmela Morrall] did really well to drive it into the line and then just offloaded it to Amy Layzell. I just thought pass me the ball!
“I expected to get tackled, but then I was just running around like a headless chicken, and then, the try line was there. It’s very exciting as a prop!”
With the final Cup fixture fast approaching, the attention now shifts to an East Midlands Derby against Leicester Tigers this Sunday (17 October, kick-off: 2pm). The opportunity to showcase themselves in front of their Loughborough University fans at Epinal Way gives the squad plenty to be excited for – with a month’s break to follow before Lightning kick-off their JAECOO PWR season with the visit of Trailfidners Women to DPD Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday 20 November.
“I think it’s a game to be really excited for, a derby to close out the Cup,” said Williams. “It’s an opportunity to put on a show for our Loughborough fans at the university, to show how much we’ve come on over preseason, especially as a young group. So, then we can take on a performance that we are proud of into the PWR season.”
The Tigers match at Loughborough University is free to attend for Lightning Season Ticket holders (which are still available by clicking HERE) and match tickets are available by clicking HERE.
Words by Libby Mallinder, Photo by Maeve Blencowe/DoubleBobblePhotography