'It is a possibility for us': Lightning set sights on PWR top four

Loughborough Lightning captain Daisy Hibbert-Jones believes the club are in a strong position to claim a top four spot in Premiership Women’s Rugby this season.

The 23-year-old, who this week signed a new multi-year contract with the club, has seen positive growth over the first eight rounds of the 2025/26 season. The side have not played knockout rugby since 2021.

Lightning entered the five week winter break fresh from a thrilling 29-all draw with fellow semi-final hopefuls Trailfinders Women at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

It was a second draw of the season for Nathan Smith’s side, who finished their Round 3 contest with Exeter Chiefs level.

Seven games into the season the club’s two draws, three wins and two losses have them fifth in the table, one point behind fourth-place Exeter. Their knack to pick up bonus points – five so far – is just one of the attributes which have indicated they are ready to play knockout rugby again.

Combined with the standout performances of young stars Lilli Ives Campion, Haineala Lutui and Carmela Morrall – alongside established players Helen Nelson, Alev Kelter and Sadia Kabeya – has contributed to an overall feeling that the East Midlanders are ready to make the leap in 2026.

“We know what we are going after this weekend and we have full belief in our game plan and what we have been going after for the past three weeks,” Hibbert-Jones told Loughborough Lightning.

“Points mean prizes in this league, whether that’s winning bonus points or losing bonus points – they’re essential, especially with how tight the top five and top six are.

“I would love nothing more than to lead this team into a semi-final or a final. We’ve spoken about it for quite a long time now. That end is very much in sight, and it is very much a possibility for us.

“The group are motivated. We’ve had reviews, we’ve spoken about how the programme has run for the first half of the season and how we can keep pushing it as players and as coaches.

“I think we’re in a really good place to kick on, strive for that top four and really push the limits of where this team can go.”

On Sunday afternoon the side will face their toughest test of the season when they travel to defending champions Gloucester Hartpury.

Loughborough will be hoping to end the back-to-back-to-back league winners’ 18 game winning streak that goes all the way back to November 2024.

A stern first challenge after the winter break, their captain anticipates there will be growth from her side as they hope to end a five year wait for knockout rugby.

“The desire is there for us to grow,” she said. “We’ve had some amazing performances and some really good results, yet we’re still coming in at the start of the next week knowing where we can get better.

“We know we can push each other in training, and we know the following week we can adapt and get better.

“Hopefully we can kick on, get more points, score more tries and defend better than we ever have before – then come away with those winning bonus points as well.

“It’s hugely exciting to be part of a group that makes my job quite easy, because everyone is on the same page about our aspirations and where we want to go.”