Lightning need to draw confidence from sell-out crowd, says Williams

Amelia Williams has called upon her Loughborough Lightning teammates to draw confidence from playing in front of a sell-out crowd when they tackle Bristol Bears this weekend.

All 2,000 tickets have been taken ahead of Saturday’s game (kick-off: 2pm), which is Lightning’s penultimate Premiership Women’s Rugby fixture of the 2024/25 season.

Far from being daunted by the prospect, 20-year-old Williams is relishing the opportunity that lies in wait. 

“We need to take the confidence from all those fans coming to see our games, and put on a performance that we are proud of and that everyone else in the league can see what we are doing and the quality of rugby that we can produce,” she said.

“Last time out against Leicester Tigers we really boosted our confidence and that has put us in a really good place going into the last two games of the season.”

The England Under-20 prop arrived onto the pitch in the second half last weekend and was in a destructive mood, especially at scrum time, in the 61-12 success at Mattioli Woods Welford Road. 

Not even a year has passed since the Medway native made her senior rugby debut – also against Leicester Tigers – and her most recent run out was her 20th in an African Violet shirt.

Reflecting on her own development, Williams said: “Even looking back to the start of the season, I feel my game is really growing; my scrummaging, getting around the pitch and my confidence.

“Especially as a prop, being a young prop in the PWR, it is quite hard sometimes, especially coming up against the big names. But getting the experience of the PWR Up Series is really important, especially as a prop against those other players, also getting the experience in training, against the likes of Laura Keates or Christine Belisle, just to keep personally developing and take that into my game.

“As a group and me personally, we know what we can do. Coming up against big names, especially for me, it is a big challenge. I came up against Maud Muir when we played Gloucester, it just shows personal development every time you scrum against them. It is about being confident and showing what we can do personally.”

Those challenges will continue this weekend, with Lightning’s scrum set to be tested by the likes of Red Roses props Hannah Botterman and Sarah Bern, but Williams is only thinking about the strengths and qualities within the Loughborough camp.

She said: “They have got some big players and big names, but, we spoke about it as a group, we just need to focus on us and our game, and take it to them really.

“We want to take as many points as we can from the last two games, starting at Bristol before the final round against Trailfinders. 

“We want to keep pushing that league table and putting on performances that we are proud of. We know what we can do on the pitch if we show what we do in training, being confident and taking it in our stride.”

A limited number of extra tickets have been made available for the game, click HERE for more information. Lightning conclude their 2024/25 season back at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday 21 February (kick-off: 7.45pm) against Trailfinders Women. Tickets are available priced from £7.50* adult and £3* junior by clicking HERE.

* All tickets are subject to a £1.50 booking fee.