Director of Rugby Rhys Edwards makes five changes to his Loughborough Lightning side as they prepare to face Worcester Warriors this weekend.
Internationals Emma Wassell and Sarah Hunter return to Loughborough’s forward pack this weekend, while Jess Weaver, Bo Westcombe-Evans and Fran Goldthorp come into the backs – with the latter set to make her first start of the season at Sixways.
Lightning secured their second win of the Allianz Premier 15s campaign last weekend with a dominant 41-7 victory over DMP Sharks, and Loughborough now take to the road for Round 9 just three points behind this week’s opposition Worcester in the table.
Edwards names an unchanged front row, with Leah Bartlett, Bryony Field and Christine Belisle packing down for the sixth consecutive week, with Scotland’s Wassell coming into the engine room alongside Red Rose Morwenna Talling.
Skipper Rachel Malcolm leads the side from the back row once again, joining Sadia Kabeya and incoming No.8 Hunter to complete the pack.
Scrum-half Jess Weaver switches back into the starting line-up this Saturday to join Helen Nelson in the half-back berths – while Goldthorp makes her first appearance of the season in a Lightning shirt alongside in-form centre Bulou Mataitoga.
And Carys Williams-Morris retains her spot on Lightning’s wings alongside Bo Westcombe-Evans, with last weekend’s debutant Chloe Rollie starting at fullback once again.
WORCESTER WARRIORS vs LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING
Allianz Premier 15s
Saturday 28 January, 2023
Sixways Stadium
Kick-off: 3pm
15 Chloe Rollie
14 Bo Westcombe-Evans
13 Bulou Mataitoga
12 Fran Goldthorp
11 Carys Williams-Morris
10 Helen Nelson
9 Jess Weaver
1 Leah Bartlett
2 Bryony Field
3 Christine Belilse
4 Emma Wassell
5 Morwenna Talling
6 Rachel Malcolm (c)
7 Sadia Kabeya
8 Sarah Hunter
Replacements:
16 Maja Muller
17 Detysha Harper
18 Isla Curphey
19 Cath O’Donnell
20 Lilli Ives Campion
21 Daisy Hibbert-Jones
22 Lucy Weaver
23 Carmela Morrall
