Loughborough centurion latest to extend time with Lightning

Loughborough Lightning’s record appearance maker Meg Davey is the latest player to sign a contract extension with the Premiership Women’s Rugby club.

Since the scrum-half made her debut as a 17-year-old, Davey has made 118 appearances for Lightning and is the second-longest serving member of the squad behind Cath O’Donnell.

So far this season the Stafford-born half-back has made eight appearances for the East Midlands side and scored two tries. Currently the club are sixth in the PWR table and contending for a knockout rugby spot for the first time since 2021.

“I am making the appearance count so high no-one is ever going to beat it!” Davey said. “I am really excited to re-sign with Lightning, we have done something really special this year and it’s a team that I want to continue to grow with.

“I am happy, I am healthy and I love the team. I like what Nathan (Smith, head coach) is doing with the squad. There’s quite a few of us that have re-signed which means a lot because we will be building on strong foundations next season and keeping the core of the squad together. I am looking forward to what the future brings.”

Davey is the fourth player to extend their time with Lightning, following in the footsteps of Daisy Hibbert-Jones, Keevy Fitzpatrick and Mae Sagapolu, as Nathan Smith has quickly gone about his business preparing his squad for next season.

“I am delighted MJ has decided to extend her time with us at Lightning,” Smith said. “The amount of appearances she has made for someone so young is remarkable.

“Despite her experience and longevity, I still feel there is growth in her game and we have definitely missed her during the early part of 2026 and look forward to seeing her back out there soon in a Lightning shirt.

“It is a really exciting time for MJ being called up into the Wales squad. She deserves the opportunity to prove herself on the international stage and it is going to be a proud day for her, her family and everyone here at Lightning when she hopefully joins our long list of players who have represented their country this Spring.”

Last week alongside club teammate Kendall Waudby, Davey was called up to Sean Lynn’s senior Wales squad for the first time for a two-day training camp.

Her call-up has coincided with the 25-year-old’s return to fitness from a pre-Christmas injury sustained in the process of providing an offload assist for Fancy Bermudez in the club’s 29-29 draw with Trailfinders Women.

“The idea of playing for Wales was first brought to me ahead of the 2021 Rugby World Cup (held in 2022 during to the global pandemic),” Davey added.

“I’ve had quite a few years to sit on the idea and now I really want to take up the opportunity and also do my nation proud. I am just going to go for it. I have been welcomed in with open arms by Lynny and hopefully the rest of the squad.

“My granddad is Welsh, James Davey, who is sadly no longer with us. My family has always wanted me to play international rugby, it has always been a dream for me. I am hoping I can make everyone proud of me, and honour my granddad’s memory. I am really excited about it all.”