ALLIANZ PREMIERSHIP WOMEN’S RUGBY: ROUND 12 PREVIEW

Emily Scarratt makes her long awaited return to Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby as Loughborough Lightning travel to Bristol Bears in Round 12 in front of the TNT Sports cameras this Friday night.

After missing 13 months due to injury, the 34-year-old Rugby World Cup winner is named at inside centre for a Lightning side that travels to Ashton Gate Stadium hoping to defeat a Bears team looking to further their hopes of a top four finish.

Elsewhere Leicester Tigers host Trailfinders Women at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, while Exeter Chiefs host Harlequins and Gloucester-Hartpury travel to the North West to play Sale Sharks.

FRIDAY 23 FEBRUARY

Leicester Tigers v Trailfinders Women (Mattioli Woods Welford Road) - 7pm 

Tigers make two changes to the starting side that bettered Loughborough Lightning last time out, as Becky Noon is restored to the second row, while Morgan Richardson starts at blindside flanker.

From the bench, Vicky Macqueen is able to hand two debuts including Red Roses hooker Amy Cokayne, who has recovered from a calf injury that has kept her out since the summer.

Their second debutant comes in the form of Eloise Hayward, with the dual-code international unveiled as a Tigers player on Thursday.

Giselle Mather has made no more than five changes to the Trailfinders Women team travelling to the East Midlands. 

In the front row, Cristina Blanco is installed at hooker, while Tyson Beukeboom gets a starting berth at lock and Rosie Inman is on the wing.

It is an unchanged midfield for Trailfinders, where Julia Schell and Carys Cox start in the centres, and in the half-backs Emma Swords and Ellie Green continue their partnership.

Team News

Leicester Tigers: 15 Tess Feury, 14 Amelia Tutt, 13 Meg Jones, 12 Claire Gallagher, 11 Francesca McGhie, 10 Natasha Jones (C), 9 Amy Relf; 1 Leah Bartlett, 2 Elis Martin, 3 Lisa Cockburn, 4 Catha Jacobs, 5 Becky Noon, 6 Morgan Richardson, 7 Roisin McBrien, 8 Tahlia Brody

Replacements: 16 Amy Cokayne, 17 Churchy Knight, 18 Keia Mae Sagapolu Sanele, 19 Julia Omokhuale, 20 Eva Donaldson, 21 Zoe Warrington, 22 Eloise Hayward, 23 Sarah Nicholas

Trailfinders Women: 15 Abby Dow (C), 14 Vicky Laflin, 13 Carys Cox, 12 Julia Schell, 11 Rosie Inman, 10 Ellie Green, 9 Emma Swords; 1 Liz Crake, 2 Cristina Blanco, 3 Andrea Stock, 4 Shya Pinnock, 5 Amelia Buckland-Hurry, 6 Rowena Burnfield, 7 Megan Barwick, 8 Shannon Ikahihifo.

Replacements: 16 Elisa Riffonneau, 17 Cassandra Tuffnail, 18 Sara Seye, 19 Shya Pinnock, 20 Charlotte Cheshire, 21 Ella Amory, 22 Jess Cooksey, 23 Ellie Lennon.

How to Watch

Highlights will be available on the PWR YouTube channel on Monday.

Match Stats

Check out all the pre-match stats by clicking here.

Bristol Bears v Loughborough Lightning (Ashton Gate) - 7:45pm

Bristol Bears welcome Simi Pam back to their starting side ahead of the visit of Loughborough Lightning.

The loosehead prop will combine with Scotland internationals Lana Skeldon and Elliann Clarke in the front-row, while Delaney Burns is named at lock alongside Abbie Ward.

In the backs there are also changes, where Ella Lovibond is restored at full-back, Reneeqa Bonner is named on the wing and Meryl Smith is at outside centre.

Rugby World Cup winning England international Emily Scarratt is back for Loughborough Lightning after missing the last 13 months with injury.

Named at inside centre, the 34-year-old is named in a backline that also contains fellow England international Helena Rowland. Helen Nelson moves to full-back, while Ellen Scantlebury makes her first Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby appearance of the season.

Sara Svoboda takes the place of Emma Wassell on the bench, while Carmela Morrell and Carys Williams-Morris are also among the replacements.

Team News

Bristol Bears: 15. ⁠Ella Lovibond, 14 Reneeqa Bonner, 13 ⁠Meryl Smith, 12 ⁠Amber Reed (CC), 11 ⁠Meg Varley, 10 ⁠Holly Aitchison, 9 ⁠Keira Bevan; 1 Simi Pam, 2 Lana Skeldon, 3 Elliann Clarke, 4 Delaney Burns, 5 Abbie Ward (CC), 6 Alisha Joyce-Butchers, 7 Evie Gallagher, 8 Rownita Marston-Mulhearn.

Replacements: 16 ⁠Lark Atkin-Davies, 17 ⁠Hannah Botterman, 18 ⁠ Holly Phillips, 19 ⁠Hollie Cunnigham, 20 ⁠Christiana Balogun, 21 ⁠Lucy Burgess, 22 ⁠Phoebe Murray, 23 ⁠Jenny Hesketh

Loughborough Lightning: 15 Helen Nelson, 14 Ellen Scantlebury, 13 Bulou Mataitoga, 12 Emily Scarratt, 11 Bo Westcombe-Evans, 10 Helena Rowland, 9 Megan Davey; 1 Katie Trevarthen, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Christine Belisle, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Hallie Taufoou, 6 Rachel Malcolm (C), 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Daisy Hibbert-Jones  

Replacements: 16 Maja Meuller, 17 Amelia Williams, 18 Catherine Wells, 19 Abby Duguid, 20 Sara Svoboda, 21 Jess Weaver, 22 Carmela Morrall, 23 Carys Williams-Morris

How to Watch

Watch live on TNT Sports and Discovery+. Highlights will be available on the PWR YouTube channel on Monday.

Match Stats

Check out all the pre-match stats by clicking here.

SATURDAY 24 FEBRUARY

Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins (Sandy Park) - 2:30pm 

Team News

To follow.

How to Watch

Highlights will be available on the PWR YouTube channel on Monday.

Match Stats

Check out all the pre-match stats by clicking here.

Sunday 25 February

Sale Sharks v Gloucester-Hartpury (Corpacq Stadium) - 2pm

Team News

To follow.

How to Watch

Highlights will be available on the PWR YouTube channel on Monday.

Match Stats

Check out all the pre-match stats by clicking here.