PWR Preview | Loughborough Lightning v Sale Sharks – cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens

World Cup winner Holly Aitchison will make her first start in a Sale Sharks shirt as the
Salford outfit look to continue their strong start in the East Midlands.

Loughborough Lightning, meanwhile, will hope a return to familiar surroundings can
kickstart their season against Sale Sharks after they suffered defeat in the opening day
thriller.

A trip to Twickenham Stoop ended in a cruel 52-42 loss, but with an unchanged XV that
features 13 World Cup stars, including Red Roses Sadia Kabeya and Lilli Ives Campion,
they will be looking to the roar of a home crowd to get them over the line this time out.

Sale Sharks fared far better on their opening weekend, triumphing 46-17 at home to
Leicester Tigers, but with a new look squad they will test their mettle on the road.

They have not been scared to flex that depth either. Aitchison’s entry at fly-half is one of six
changes, including a start for fellow Red Rose Morwenna Talling who returns to action.

There are also full debuts for Scotland trio Eva Donaldson, Leah Bartlett and Evie Wills,
who all came off the bench during the victory over Leicester.

Loughborough Lightning: 15 Lia Green, 14 Bulou Mataitoga, 13 Alev Kelter, 12 Carmela
Morrall, 11 Bo Westcombe-Evans, 10 Helen Nelson, 9 Leia Brebner-Holden; 1 Anne Young,2 Lucy Calladine, 3 Mae Sagapolu , 4 Becky Boyd, 5 Lilli Ives Campion, 6 Daisy Hibbert-
Jones, 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Haineala LutuiReplacements: 16 Kathryn Treder, 17 Amelia Williams, 18 Christine Belisle, 19 Rachel
Ehrecke, 20 Tahlia Brody, 21 Kendall Waudby, 22 Alicia Maude, 23 Ellen Scantlebury

Sale Sharks: 15 Lizzie Duffy, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Evie Wills, 12 Katana Howard, 11 Holly
Thorpe, 10 Holly Aitchison, 9 Amy Relf; 1 Leah Bartlett, 2 Amy Cokayne, 3 Nick
James, 4 Iona Antwis, 5 Morwenna Talling, 6 Eva Donaldson, 7 Katie Childs, 8 Sharifa Kasolo
Replacements: 16 Scarlett Fielding, 17 Tysh Harper, 18 Sophie Benavent, 19 Charlotte
Fray, 20 Trudy Cowan, 21 Olivia Ortiz, 22 Laura Perrin, 23 Alba Capell

Match Officials
Referee: Nikki O’Donnell
Assistant referees: Rebecca Piddlesden & Simon Adams

Oval Insights
Loughborough Lightning

o Loughborough Lightning led the round in carries (182) and carry distance
(1,097).

o Haineala Lutui topped the round statistics with 22 carries and 29 post-
contact meters.

o Helen Nelson recorded the most kicks in play (13) and the second-most kick
meters (301) in the round.
o Loughborough Lightning achieved 100% goal kick success (round-best) and
made 6 successful goals (most in round).

Sale Sharks

o Sale Sharks Women scored 8 tries (round-best) and accumulated 46 points
(2nd in round).
o Holly Thorpe registered the highest meters per carry (20.8, round-best) and
recorded 132 carry distance (2nd in round).
o Sale Sharks Women recorded 22 visits to the opposition 22 (most in round)
while making 46 total team possessions (2nd in round).
o Rhona Lloyd made 5 dominant contacts (4th in round) and recorded 2 initial
breaks (joint 4th in round).