Loughborough Lightning are well represented on the international stage this weekend, as nine of the Club's stars feature across the England, Scotland and Wales teams in the opening round of the TikTok Women’s Six Nations.
Sarah Hunter – after announcing her retirement from the sport earlier this week – will make her final bow on the rugby field as co-captain this Saturday as she starts for England alongside Sadia Kabeya in the tournament’s first round, with lock Cath O’Donnell also named on England’s bench.
And five fellow Lightning teammates will line up against England for Scotland – as Leah Bartlett, Christine Belisle, Helen Nelson, Rachel Malcolm and Chloe Rollie all start at Kingston Park.
But it will be Loughborough winger Carys Williams-Morris who gets the tournament started, as she earns her fifth cap for Wales at Cardiff Arms Park against Ireland in the tournament opener.
Wales team to face Ireland
15 Courtney Keight
14 Lisa Neumann
13 Hannah Jones (captain)
12 Kerin Lake
11 Carys Williams-Morris (Loughborough Lightning)
10 Elinor Snowsill
9 Keira Bevan
1 Gwenllian Pyrs
2 Kelsey Jones
3 Sisilia Tuipulotu
4 Abbie Fleming
5 Gwen Crabb
6 Georgia Evans
7 Alex Callender
8 Bethan Lewis
Replacements:
16 Kat Evans
17 Caryl Thomas
18 Cerys Hale
19 Kate Williams
20 Sioned Harries
21 Ffion Lewis
22 Lleucu George
23 Hannah Bluck
England team to face Scotland
15 Abby Dow (Harlequins, 30 caps)
14 Jess Breach (Saracens, 24 caps)
13 Lagi Tuima (Harlequins, 12 caps)
12 Amber Reed (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)
11 Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs, 24 caps)
10 Holly Aitchison (Saracens, 15 caps)
9 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 9 caps)
1 Mackenzie Carson (Saracens, uncapped)
2 Amy Cokayne (Harlequins, 70 caps)
3 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 52 caps)
4 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 38 caps)
5 Poppy Cleall (Saracens, 63 caps)
6 Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 8 caps)
7 Marlie Packer (CC; Saracens, 89 caps)
8 Sarah Hunter (CC; Loughborough Lightning, 140 caps)
Replacements:
16 Lark Davies (Bristol Bears, 44 caps)
17 Liz Crake (Wasps, uncapped)
18 Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, uncapped)
19 Cath O’Donnell (Loughborough Lightning, 24 caps)
20 Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury, 25 caps)
21 Ella Wyrwas (Saracens, uncapped)
22 Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 9 caps)
23 Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury, 2 caps)
Scotland team to face England
15 Chloe Rollie (Loughborough Lightning) – 52 caps
14 Coreen Grant (Saracens) – 1 cap
13 Emma Orr (Heriot’s Rugby/Biggar) – 6 caps
12 Meryl Smith (University of Edinburgh) – 4 caps
11 Francesca McGhie (Watsonians) – uncapped
10. Helen Nelson VICE-CAPTAIN (Loughborough Lightning) – 46 caps
9. Caity Mattinson (Worcester Warriors) – 9 caps
1. Leah Bartlett (Loughborough Lightning) – 21 caps
2. Lana Skeldon (Worcester Warriors) – 57 caps
3. Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning) – 21 caps
4. Lyndsay O’Donnell (Bristol Bears) – 17 caps
5. Louise McMillan (Saracens) – 39 caps
6. Rachel Malcolm CAPTAIN (Loughborough Lightning) – 33 caps
7. Rachel McLachlan (Sale Sharks) – 31 caps
8. Evie Gallagher (Worcester Warriors) – 13 caps
Replacements:
16. Jodie Rettie (Saracens) – 20 caps
17. Anne Young (Sale Sharks) – 2 caps
18. Elliann Clarke (University of Edinburgh) – 2 caps
19. Eva Donaldson (University of Edinburgh) – 1 cap
20. Eilidh Sinclair (Exeter Chiefs) – 18 caps
21. Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs) – 9 caps
22. Beth Blacklock (Harlequins) – uncapped
23. Liz Musgrove (Wasps) – 11 caps
