Nine-cap Wallaroo becomes fifth Australian to sign with Leicester Tigers this summer

Leicester Tigers have added a fifth Australian to their squad for next year’s JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby campaign.

Nine-cap Australia international Ashley Fernandez will arrive in Mattioli Woods Welford Road from the ACT Brumbies alongside Wallaroos Player of the Year, Tabua Tuinakauvadra.

Lock forward Fernandez joins alongside fellow Wallaroos internationals Tuinakauvadra and Caitlyn Halse, while Halley Derera and Grace Freeman both arrive from Perth’s Western Force.

Leicester, who finished ninth in PWR last season, gave recruited a number of high-quality Australia internationals ahead of next season with the hope of improving their fortunes next season.

Yesterday Leicester announced the recruitment of USA Women’s Eagles second row Rachel Ehrecke, who joins the club from Loughborough Lightning.

Fraser Goatcher, Leicester Tigers Director of Women’s Rugby, said: “Ashley is a great lineout technician, we’re really looking forward to seeing what she can add to our lineout and her work rate around the pitch as well.”

Australian players have been the beneficiaries of a collaboration between Rugby Australia, its players and PWR to allow athletes to come to England during the Australian offseason to help its players more game-time.

France international Coco Lindelauf, England centre Lagi Tuima and Wales’ Abbie Fleming will all call the East Midlands home for the 2026/27 campaign too.

Fernandez made her Australia debut against Fiji in May 2025. Since then the 23-year-old second row has made eight more appearances for her country, including two at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 against Samoa and Canada.

Earlier this year the lock made two appearances at the Pacific Four Series as the Wallaroos finished fourth in the competition. This season in Super Rugby Women’s, Fernandez and her Brumbies teammates missed out on this weekend’s semi-finals with a 1-3 record.

Fernandez said: “I’m really exciting to be joining Tigers for the upcoming season. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow my game in a professional environment, meeting everyone and getting stuck into the season.”