Loughborough Lightning

One is a recent LinkedIn post that I saw, which obviously sparked our connections as well.

Your partnership with Northampton States and Loughborough Lightning, being a Midlands person myself, although a Leicester Tigers fan, admittedly, you highlighted the connection between Saints' Northampton roots and Shoesmith's own history.

So how important is the connection to the firm's identity as it continues to expand nationally?

Yeah, this is a really interesting one because...

I mean, Freya Greensmith hadn't played a game for Tigers.

We'd signed her from Loughborough.

She was going to play in the Cup, but the word on the street is she got injured.

So has sort of been has been released without being able to sort of prove herself on the on the pitch.

You know, I...

I'm not going to lie, I was disappointed.

I thought the Loughborough game could have been a winnable game.

I've sort of heard from people that are at the sale game that, again, that was also a winnable fixture.

Nathan Smith in that coaching ticket as well.

The Loughborough Lightning coach, Mr. Sarah Hunter.

So, I think they are just two teams that are hugely similar.

And I think you said it earlier on, just before we started recording, you could keep rolling the time and it's just a case of when the time runs out, who's in front in that game.

Alex Tessier, Taylor Perry.

I also actually thought Flo Simons was brilliant in the 13 shirt, showing that silver medal Olympic sevens prowess.

Exciting news for JQPWR fans coming to Loughborough Lightning as one of that clutch of Canadians that have been signed there.

So that's great for the league and all all our entertainment over the course of the next season.

Um, yes.

And I live on the edge of the fens in Ca- just outside Cambridge, and I am one of the club photographers at Northampton Saints and Loughborough Lightning, and occasionally for Bedford Blues.

And look.

The book.

So for us to be able to play a small part that week, an intense week, but it's a great week for them to develop as players.

Yeah.

And then obviously from the girls' point of view, uh, Tamsin Baines now in the PWR who's played for Lightning, who came on the residential, she did a few years.

Georgia Brock, actually the girls' residential started, we had 14 girls on the first year.

We send our warmest thoughts to Gabby Cantorna.

Making her first start of the PWR Next Gen Cup season for Exeter Chiefs against Loughborough Lightning this past weekend, Cantorna unfortunately suffered a ruptured Achilles just 14 minutes into the match.

Exeter went on to win, 42-12, but it's a heartbreaking setback for Gabby, who had been carefully managing her return from a broken ankle.

We're all wishing her a swift and complete recovery.

Finally, Talia Brodie, who last year spent her time with Loughborough Lightning of PWR, has joined Yokohama TKM in their All Japan Women's Rugby Football Championship campaign.

The campaign is a short four team tournament, of which Yokohama is the reigning champ, and the tournament runs from about the end of January into February.

I mean, two or three weeks tops.

Absolutely not.

I, I think, it, what it sounds like as well, um, as a Loughborough Lightning supporter, obviously I've lost a huge number [laughs] of players, um, due to this.

And-

Yes

It's not streamed.

But a massive win up at Bedford against Loughborough Lightning in the PWR Cup, meaning we now stand three wins from three.

And Jez, given how many internationals we've got away compared with the other teams, the size of these wins is pretty impressive.

Yeah, and the nature of them as well.

And, uh, it's been, uh, yes, it's been a busy time.

So we're gonna do it in chronological order, but we are gonna talk about Loughborough Lightning, we are gonna talk about Bedford Blues, and we are, of course, going to talk about our beloved Saints.

Uh, we're gonna have a wander around.

Notice I'm signposting now.

Oh

... winter's on the turn.

Um, [clears throat] and I am the club photographer at Northampton Saints, Loughborough Lightning, an occasional visitor, and that's where I'm going this afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, hence why I need to get a wiggle on, 'cause I'm going to do some ladies day stuff at, uh, Bedford Blues.

Sherpa2 has put the bat call out, so she's on her way.