Lightning have 'confidence' to compete this season: Emily Scarratt

Emily Scarratt believes that Loughborough Lightning have the ‘confidence’ to compete with Premiership Women’s Rugby’s top sides.

To start the 2025/26 season the East Midlanders have started their season with a loss, a win and a draw.

Now an assistant coach for Nathan Smith’s side after her retirement last month, the two-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winner believes that the foundations for this season were laid last term.

In the opening half of their last campaign, it took Loughborough a week longer to get a first win. By the start of this calendar win they had just three wins under their belts.

As soon as 2025 struck Lightning racked up wins against Saracens, Leicester Tigers, Bristol Bears and Trailfinders Women. That form was not enough to send Scarratt and her teammates back to the last four for the first time since 2021.

But it could be the key ingredient to getting a semi-final slot in 2026.

“We finished really strong last season, and I think there is a continuation of that,” Scarratt said.

“I think maybe there’s a continuation of that. For large parts of last season, we felt like we hadn’t quite hit our straps.

“At the end we started to get some good results and at that point it’s too late to make a charge for the top four.

“It’s been pleasing that we’ve continued that on at the start of this season. There’s still a really long way to go and some big teams coming up.

“I think the confidence level and the belief of the girls (is there) that we can mix it with some of those guys up there.”

Part of what has made Loughborough look so comfortable in their three games to start this season is a settled squad.

After their exploits at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the likes of Sadia Kabeya, Lilli Ives Campion, Tahlia Brody, Alev Kelter and Helen Nelson all slotted back in perfectly.

Where in the past the plethora of talent that call cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens home have struggled with the chopping and changes, this year it was just like flipping on a light.

This weekend Loughborough take on East Midlands rivals Leicester. Their neighbours are yet to pick up a point this season after back-to-back losses against Sale Sharks, Bristol and Saracens.

Lightning are not alone in having an exciting season so far. Exeter Chiefs have put themselves in hot contention for a spot, while both Sale Sharks and Trailfinders have had an uptick in form thanks to summer arrivals.

Hot off the heels of such a successful Women’s Rugby World Cup, won by John Mitchell’s England, competition in the English women’s top flight has never been higher.

The excitement created by the tournament has been translated. Never before has there been such interest in PWR, with record numbers coming to matches on any given weekend.

“It’s been awesome,” Scarratt said. “Whatever the percentage change in attendances that everybody has seen has been amazing

“The uplift from that, people just coming and watching the games that had maybe seen the World Cup, hadn’t come to PWR and now are loving it, it’s awesome.

“There’s a real joy around the support that we get. Which is great. It’s been really cool and long may that continue into the slightly darker, colder months.”