Leicester Tigers Women

Leicester Tigers Women

Founded	15 July 2021;4 years ago (15 July 2021)
Location	Leicester, England
Ground(s)	Mattioli Woods Welford Road (Capacity: 25,849)
Coach(es)	Tom Hudson
League(s)	Premiership Women's Rugby
First match
Bishop Auckland Ladies 5–57 Leicester Tigers Women 18 September 2022
Largest win
Harrogate Ladies 3–114 Leicester Tigers Women 18 February 2023
Largest defeat
Saracens Women 100–0 Leicester Tigers Women (StoneX Stadium, London) 11 January 2025

Leicester Tigers Women is a women's rugby union club based in Leicester, Leicestershire, England. They are the women's team of Leicester Tigers. They were founded in 2021 and since 2023 have played in Premiership Women's Rugby.

History

The team was formed on 15 July 2021, ^[1] launched in partnership with Lichfield Ladies under the name of "Lichfield Leicester Tigers", ^{[2] [3]} in their initial season they played a season of friendlies before entering Women's Championship North 1 for the 2022–23 season, ^[4] taking the place of Lichfield. The club confirmed its intention to bid for a place in the 2023-24 Premier 15s season. ^[5] On 16 December 2022, the RFU announced that they had been successful and would join the Premier 15, which became Premiership Women's Rugby, beginning in 2023–24. ^[6]

On 5 November 2022, the local derby with Loughborough RFC saw a record crowd for a 2nd division game as 3,523 attended. ^[7]

The team's first ever top flight victory came against Sale Sharks Women on 21 January 2024. ^[8]

Vicky Macqueen departed the club as head coach following the 2023–24 season, ^[9] she was replaced by Tom Hudson for the 2024–25 season. ^[10] In January 2025, it was announced that Hudson would leave his role as head coach after just one season in charge. ^[11] In April 2025, it was announced that Fraser Goatcher was appointed as Director of Women’s Rugby and Ross Bundy was appointed as Head Coach ahead of the 2025–26 season. ^[12]

Current squad

For player movements before or during the 2023–24 season, see List of 2023–24 Premiership Women's Rugby transfers § Leicester Tigers.

The Leicester Tigers squad for the 2023–24 season was: ^[13]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Caitlin Clark Prop England Lisa Cockburn Prop Scotland Georgie Grimes Prop England Jade Jones Prop England Churchy Knight Prop England Ofure Ugiagbe Prop England Alana Bainbridge Hooker England Elis Martin Hooker Scotland Samantha Williams Hooker England Ella-Mae Fereday Second row England Ali Gale Second row England Maddie Massey Second row England Georgia Westwood Second row England Tanya Bird Back row Philippines Sydney Mead Back row England Leilah Mills Back row England Becky Noon Back row England Amy Orrow Back row England Morgan Richardson Back row England Kat Turner Back row England Zoe Warrington Back row England

Player Position Union Lucy Nye Scrum-half England Ellie Turner Fly-half England Holly Williams Fly-half England Rebecca De Filippo Centre Wales Abi Gordon Centre England Linzi Taylor Centre Tami Agboola Back England Lottie Bozon Back England Louisa Burgham Back England Bryany Chalk Back England Caz Collie Back Scotland Charlotte Daley Back England Molly Draycott Back England Zoë Evans Back England Tess Feury Back United States Lucrezia Iavarone Back Italy Harriet Roberts Back England

Season summaries

	League				Cup
Season	Competition	Final position	Points	Play-offs	Competition	Performance
2022—23	Women's Championship North 1	1st [14]	90	Finalist [15]	No competition
2023—24	Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby	9th	10	-	Allianz Cup	9th
2024—25	Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby	8th	18	-	No competition

Gold background denotes champions
Silver background denotes runners-up
Pink background denotes relegated

Club staff

^[12]

Role	Name
Director of Rugby	Fraser Goatcher
Head Coach	Ross Bundy

References

1. Sherrard, Gary (15 July 2021). "Leicester Tigers Women's Rugby Programme". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
2. "Leicester Tigers: Premiership club join forces with Lichfield to form women's team". BBC Sport. 20 August 2021.
3. Ekin, Kim (20 August 2021). "Leicester Tigers reveal the who, when and where of their new women's team". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
4. "Lichfield RUFC chairman hails new women's team link-up with Leicester Tigers". Lichfield Live. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
5. Kiflie, Yoseph (5 August 2022). "Inside the battle to secure a place in the revamped Premier 15s" . The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
6. Harvey, Joe (17 December 2022). "Ealing and Leicester offered place in Allianz Premier 15s but Sale, Worcester, Wasps and Darlington omitted". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
7. Sherrard, Gary (9 November 2022). "Tigers support sets top mark for women's fixture". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
8. "Leicester Tigers beat Sale to claim first win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
9. "Tigers women's boss Macqueen to finish at end of season". BBC Sport. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
10. "Hudson appointed Tigers women's head coach". BBC Sport. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
11. "Hudson to leave Tigers at end of PWR season". BBC Sport. 27 January 2025. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
12. "Club news: Women's Coaching Team". Leicester Tigers. 2 April 2025. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
13. "Tigers announce first Premiership Women's Rugby squad". Leicester Tigers. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
14. "Leicester Tigers Women Table 2022-2023". RFU . Retrieved 7 July 2023.
15. "Tigers Women defeated in Championship Final". Leicester Tigers. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.