Leicester Tigers Women

Leicester Tigers Women is a women's rugby union club based in Leicester, Leicestershire, England. They are the women's team of Leicester Tigers. They were founded in 2021 and as of 2023, play in Premiership Women's Rugby.

Leicester Tigers Women
Founded15 July 2021; 3 years ago (15 July 2021)
LocationLeicester, England
Ground(s)Mattioli Woods Welford Road (Capacity: 25,849)
Coach(es)Tom Hudson
League(s)Premiership Women's Rugby
First match
Bishop Auckland Ladies 5–57 Leicester Tigers Women
18 September 2022
Largest win
Harrogate Ladies 3–114 Leicester Tigers Women
18 February 2023
Largest defeat
Bristol Bears Women 55–3 Leicester Tigers Women
(Shaftesbury Park, Bristol)
14 October 2023

History

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The team was formed on 15 July 2021,[1] launched in partnership with Lichfield Ladies under the name of "Lichfield Leicester Tigers",[2][3] in their initial season they played a season of friendlies before entering Women's Championship North 1 for the 2022–23 season,[4] taking the place of Lichfield. The club confirmed its intention to bid for a place in the 2023-24 Premier 15s season,[5] on 16 December 2022 the RFU announced that they had been successful and would join the Premier 15, which became Premiership Women's Rugby, beginning in 2023–24.[6]

On 5 November 2022 the local derby with Loughborough RFC saw a record crowd for a 2nd division game as 3,523 attended.[7]

The team's first ever top flight victory came against Sale Sharks Women on 21 January 2024.[8]

Current squad

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The Leicester Tigers squad for the 2023–24 season is:[9]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Leah Bartlett Prop   Scotland
Caitlin Clark Prop   England
Lisa Cockburn Prop   Scotland
Georgie Grimes Prop   England
Jade Jones Prop   England
Churchy Knight Prop   England
Keia Mae Sagapolu Prop   United States
Ofure Ugiagbe Prop   England
Alana Bainbridge Hooker   England
Amy Cokayne Hooker   England
Elis Martin Hooker   Scotland
Samantha Williams Hooker   England
Eva Donaldson Second row   Scotland
Ella-Mae Fereday Second row   England
Charlotte Fray Second row   England
Ali Gale Second row   England
Catha Jacobs Second row   South Africa
Maddie Massey Second row   England
Georgia Westwood Second row   England
Tanya Bird Back row   Philippines
Tahlia Brody Back row   United States
Roisin McBrien Back row   England
Sydney Mead Back row   England
Leilah Mills Back row   England
Becky Noon Back row   England
Julia Omokhuale Back row   Canada
Amy Orrow Back row   England
Morgan Richardson Back row   England
Kat Turner Back row   England
Zoe Warrington Back row   England
Player Position Union
Lucy Nye Scrum-half   England
Amy Relf Scrum-half   England
Claire Gallagher Fly-half   Canada
Meg Jones Fly-half   England
Ellie Turner Fly-half   England
Holly Williams Fly-half   England
Katie Childs Centre   Sweden
Rebecca De Filippo Centre   Wales
Abi Gordon Centre   England
Natasha Jones Centre   England
Francesca McGhie Centre   Scotland
Linzi Taylor Centre
Evie Wills Centre   Scotland
Tami Agboola Back   England
Lottie Bozon Back   England
Louisa Burgham Back   England
Bryany Chalk Back   England
Caz Collie Back   Scotland
Charlotte Daley Back   England
Molly Draycott Back   England
Zoë Evans Back   England
Tess Feury Back   United States
Lucrezia Iavarone Back   Italy
Celia Quansah Back   England
Harriet Roberts Back   England
Amanda Swartz Back   Sweden
Amelia Tutt Back   Wales

Season summaries

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League Cup
Season Competition Final position Points Play-offs Competition Performance
2022—23 Women's Championship North 1 1st[10] 90 Finalist[11] No competition N/A
2023—24 Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby Allianz Cup 9th

Gold background denotes champions
Silver background denotes runners-up
Pink background denotes relegated

Club staff

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[12]

Role Name
Head of Women's Rugby Tom Hudson
Assistant Coach Luke Stratford
Strength and Conditioning Lead Mitchell Cook
Lead Analyst Kingsley Morgans

References

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  1. ^ Sherrard, Gary (15 July 2021). "Leicester Tigers Women's Rugby Programme". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Leicester Tigers: Premiership club join forces with Lichfield to form women's team". BBC Sport. 20 August 2021.
  3. ^ Ekin, Kim (20 August 2021). "Leicester Tigers reveal the who, when and where of their new women's team". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Lichfield RUFC chairman hails new women's team link-up with Leicester Tigers". Lichfield Live. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  5. ^ Kiflie, Yoseph (5 August 2022). "Inside the battle to secure a place in the revamped Premier 15s". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  6. ^ Harvey, Joe (17 December 2022). "Ealing and Leicester offered place in Allianz Premier 15s but Sale, Worcester, Wasps and Darlington omitted". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  7. ^ Sherrard, Gary (9 November 2022). "Tigers support sets top mark for women's fixture". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Leicester Tigers beat Sale to claim first win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Tigers announce first Premiership Women's Rugby squad". Leicester Tigers. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Leicester Tigers Women Table 2022-2023". RFU. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Tigers Women defeated in Championship Final". Leicester Tigers. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Hudson to lead women's programme". Leicester Tigers. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.