Smith: Lightning ‘excited by challenge’ of opening round Bristol clash

Excitement levels are reverberating through Loughborough Lightning’s young squad ahead of the 2024/25 Premiership Women’s Rugby season getting underway this weekend.

That is the view of head coach Nathan Smith as he prepares his side to take on last term’s losing finalists Bristol Bears in Round 1 at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday (5 October, kick-off: 3pm) – tickets are still available priced from £7.50 adults and £3 juniors by clicking HERE.

Preparations for the league campaign in the PWR Up Series took in a victory away at Sale Sharks and a loss at home to Leicester Tigers, and now Smith is looking forward to returning to league rugby and building on the much-improved final finish of fifth in 2023/24.

“It is quite interesting with a younger group, there is an excitement level,” he said. “There will be a number of debuts that have not played or started a PWR game.

“They’ve certainly seen the difference in preparing for a couple of friendlies compared to a PWR Up Series game. The intensity in the week has certainly ramped up, as have my expectation levels with them. It has been an eye-opening experience for them.

There will be a youthful feel to both squads this weekend as Lightning operate without 13 players who are currently away participating in WXV.

Bo Westcombe-Evans made a try-scoring Red Roses debut against USA – who had new Lightning signing Alev Kelter catch the eye with two scores of her own.

Meanwhile Scotland defeated Italy with five Lightning players in their matchday squad as captain Rachel Malcolm moved to 50 appearances for her country.

Lightning’s representation would’ve been even greater as fellow internationals Sadia Kabeya, Cath O’Donnell, Krissy Scurfield and Emma Wassell are also sidelined.

With all teams impacted during the period as WXV 1 takes place in Canada and WXV 2 in South Africa, Smith believes the form book could go out the window in PWR Round 1.

“There will probably be some surprises this weekend,” he said. “It is a great leveller not having those international players, so it is fair for everyone to have a go this weekend. We’re really looking forward to it, regardless whether it is Bristol or not.”

The Bristol match is the first of ten games in 12 weeks in the build up to Christmas, in a season that will see the regular fixtures conclude in February followed by the winners being crowned in mid-March.

“It is going to be a sprint,” added Smith. “It is a different challenge at the moment but it is one that we are all, as a coaching staff, enjoying. We have a young group but it is only going to make us stronger moving forward. 

“It is going to give us more depth when the international players return. A lot of the girls who are playing for Lightning at the moment are BUCS eligible so it only helps us moving forward in that competition as well, which we take very seriously.”

Tickets for this eagerly-anticipated clash to kick off the PWR season are still available priced from £7.50* adults and £3* juniors by clicking HERE.

Lightning Season Tickets are also still available for all of the PWR fixtures for the 2024/25 campaign from £45** adults and £24** juniors by clicking HERE.