Loughborough Lightning’s search for a first win of the 2024/25 Premiership Women’s Rugby season will rumble into the third round following a Sunday lunchtime defeat at Trailfinders Sports Ground.
Tries from Carmela Morrall, Alicia Maude and Daisy Hibbert Jones were countered by five from the hosts as Lightning trailed by 14 at the break.
Amelia Williams’ second-half score recorded a tryscoring bonus point and Fran Goldthorp marked her return to rugby union with a try, but the hosts matched their first-half try count in the second period to claim a 64-33 victory
FIRST HALF
Lightning head coach Nathan Smith handed a competitive Lightning debut to Wales U20 centre Ellie Tromans, while winger Evelyn Clarke and lock Issy Winter made their first PWR starts, with Lucy Finch – who captained Loughborough University to victory over Durham in midweek – selected in a PWR squad for the first time.
While some personnel had changed, the match had a familiar start to the previous week’s loss to Bristol as Trailfinders flew out of the blocks with early tries from Abi Burton and Ellie Boatman, with Emma Taylor adding a conversion.
With the match approaching the 20-minute mark, Lightning struck back when a brilliant rolling maul put the defence on the backfoot before onrushing centre Morrall arrived to force her way over.
Kenda Cousineau responded for Trailfinders as an end-to-end period took another twist when scrum-half Maude drifted off a ruck in the 22 and found a gap to grab Lightning’s second try of the contest. Fly-half Lia Green expertly converted from the touchline to cut the gap to seven.
Annabel Mata and Boatman struck in the space of five minutes before Trailfinders were reduced to 14 players when Burton was dismissed for illegally rolling Ellen Scantlebury out of a ruck and injuring the Lightning winger.
Lightning cut the deficit to two converted tries when Lucy Calladine took the ball close to the line, Maude kept the ball alive, and put Hibbert-Jones on an unstoppage surge to the line with Green adding the extras.
SECOND HALF
Kat Evans crossed six minutes after the restart to stifle the visitors’ comeback surge, although Lightning did record their bonus-point sealing score when prop Williams reached over a mound of bodies close to the line to score her first try for the club
Abby Duguid saw red for an upright collision, which was sandwiched by Trailfinders tries from Vicky Laflin and Meta’s second of the game.
The sides were levelled at 14-a-side when Abby Duguid saw red for an upright collision and Vicky Laflin’s try saw Trailfinders pass the half-century mark of points.
While the match was lost their was still time for a moment of individual brilliance as Goldthorp somehow managed to evade a procession of defenders and ground the ball despite some desperate covering defence.
Trailfinders added some gloss to the final score Emma Uren and Megan Barwick added tries in the closing minutes.
Lightning’s attentions now turn to the return to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday 19 October (kick-off: 2pm), when head coach Smith is set to get his first group of internationals back from WXV. Tickets are still available priced from £7.50* adults and £3 juniors* – by clicking HERE.
LINE UPS:
TRAILFINDERS: Laflin, Inman, Boatman, Cousineau, White, Amory, Bradley; Tamai, Evans, Leat, Taylor (c), Pinnock, Williams, Burton, Meta.
Replacements: Watkins, Harris, Evans, Burnfield, Barwick, Denholm, Wilson Hardy, Uren
LIGHTNING: Goldthorp, Clarke, Tromans, Moral, Scantlebury, Green, Maude; Williams, Calladine, Curphey, Duguid, Winter, Boyd, Waudby, Hibbert-Jones (c)
Replacements: Baverstock, Keates, Adjei-Ansere, Fitzpatrick, Finch, Roberts, Davey, Bell
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