'It's our last chance': Leicester eye first win of the season in East Midlands derby

Leicester Tigers have one more chance to end the 2025/26 Premiership Women’s Rugby season with a win.

After 15 matches this season the East Midlanders are rooted to the bottom of the nine team league table with two points. The second of those they picked up last weekend against Harlequins as Tigers got a try scoring bonus point from their 50-29 loss.

This Sunday at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Leicester will host local rivals Loughborough Lightning in what promises to be a full-blooded derby fixture.

“It’s our last chance to go and get that elusive win we’ve been going after this season but I’m well aware of the journey we’re on and where we’re trying to get to,” Fraser Goatcher, Leicester Tigers’ Director of Women’s Rugby, said.

“As long as we have that all-round performance that we had in spells against Harlequins a bit more regularly, I think we’ll be pretty happy.

“Something that we always bring is that physicality and that fight, and I’m sure it will be pretty tasty out there on the pitch on Sunday.”

There is plenty of reason for Tigers to finish this season with a flourish. Glued to ninth-place all season, the club has confirmed that “enhanced strategy for growth, additional investment and continued commitment” to their women’s team.

Already the shoots of this commitment has been seen in the form of recruitment. While a whole host of players have re-signed with the club, it is the impending arrival of Australia international, Tabua Tuinakauvadra, and capped France prop, Coco Lindelauf, that have stolen the headlines.

Leicester are a team that craves a higher finish on the league ladder. They want knockout rugby. All that stands between them and a brighter tomorrow are their local rivals.

“Loughborough Lightning are the closest team to us being 25 minutes up the road but it also happens that they’re linked with Northampton Saints who are historically Leicester Tigers’ biggest rivals so it just adds that extra little bit of spice,” Goatcher said.

“When we went to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens earlier on in the season the result didn’t go our way [50-15 loss] but I think we showed a hell of a lot of that fight and the girls really bought into that derby day atmosphere and I think you’ll see a lot more of that this week.”