Leicester Tigers Women 2023/24 - Vicky Macqueen in 'The Magnificent Fifteen'

[Darc Tiger]

Upcoming Fixtures:
Allianz Cup: Harlequins (H) - Sat Apr 13 1230, Ealing (A) - Sat Apr 20 1500
Premiership: Harlequins (A) - Sat 11 May 1500, Bristol (A) - Sun 19 May 1530, Sale (H) - Sat 25 May 1500, Exeter (A) - Sun Jun 2 1500

Recent Results:
17-22 vs Loughborough (A), 14-29 vs Ealing (H), 54-19 vs Saracens (A)

Coaching Team
Head of Women's Rugby: Vicky Macqueen
Senior Coach: Tom Hudson
Forwards Coach: Luke Stratford
Defence Coach: Steve Hanna
S&C Lead: Lewis Knight
Medical and Physiotherapy Lead: Terri Denham
Head of Analysis: Kingsley Morgan
Team Manager: Jasmine Hare

Playing Squad:
(* Denotes capped XVs International)

Prop: Leah Bartlett*, Lisa Cockburn*, Georgie Grimes, Jade Jones, Churchy Knight, Keia Mae Sagapolu*, Ofure Ugiagbe
Hooker: Alana Bainbridge, Amy Cokayne*, Elis Martin*
Second row: Eva Donaldson*, Charlotte Fray, Catha Jacobs*, Maddie Massey, Becky Noon
Back row: Tanya Bird*, Tahlia Brody*, Roisin McBrien, Julia Omokhuale* , Morgan Richardson, Kat Turner, Zoe Warrington
Scrum-half: Eloise Hayward*, Lucy Nye, Amy Relf, Polly Roberts
Fly-half: Claire Gallagher*, Natasha Jones (c), Sarah Nicholas, Ellie Turner
Centre: Katie Childs*, Rebecca De Filippo*, Meg Jones*, Evie Wills*
Wing: Louisa Burgham, Charlotte Daley, Molly Draycott, Zoë Evans, Francesca McGhie*, Celia Quansah, Katie Thicker, Amelia Tutt*,
Fullback:Tess Fuery*, Orla Proctor, Amanda Swartz*

Extended Roster: Caitlin Clark (Prop), Samantha Williams (Hooker), Ella-Mae Fereday (Lock), Ali Gale (Lock), Georgia Westwood (Lock), Sydney Mead (Back row), Lottie Bozon (Back row), Leilah Mills (Back row), Amy Orrow (Back row), Holly Williams (Fly-Half), Abi Gordon (Centre), Bryany Chalk (Centre), Linzi Taylor (Centre), Tami Agboola (Wing), Lucrezia Iavarone (Wing), Caz Collie (Fullback), Harriet Roberts (Fullback)

Known injuries: Evie Wills (ACL), Kat Turner (ACL)

[Darc Tiger]

Sounds like we're having our first warm-up game this week (but I don't know against whom or where), so I thought it about time to get a new thread going with up to date information.

[Lutontiger]

Thank you! I really appreciate your efforts to keep us informed re our women’s team

[No6_Flanker]

Thanks for the analysis DarcTiger!

Interesting to see that we have capped players in every position bar scrum half. Do you think this will hinder us?

[Darc Tiger]

Interesting to see that we have capped players in every position bar scrum half. Do you think this will hinder us?

I would say the halfbacks are potentially an area of relative weakness, when the likes of Lucy Packer, Mo Hunt, Zoe Harrison and Lleucu George are about. Hard to say without testing in the heat of battle.

I think we may suffer in the weeks when Meg Jones is away on 7s duty. We have a few who could step into the role, and one of them is out for months (Wills). It looks like a notable step down. May be irrelevant depending on how we match up in the forwards.

I think we've strengthened our kicking options a bit with late additions like Caz Collie and Polly Roberts. I'm spitballing a little bit. Will be a better judge once I've seen them in the cup games.

Also perhaps worth caveating that some caps like Tanya Bird (Philippines) and Katie Childs (Sweden), with respect, maybe played a step down than the likes of Leah Bartlett or Tess Fuery. But a cap is a cap, and shouldn't be disregarded.

[No6_Flanker]

Interesting to see that we have capped players in every position bar scrum half. Do you think this will hinder us?

I would say the halfbacks are potentially an area of relative weakness, when the likes of Lucy Packer, Mo Hunt, Zoe Harrison and Lleucu George are about. Hard to say without testing in the heat of battle.

I think we may suffer in the weeks when Meg Jones is away on 7s duty. We have a few who could step into the role, and one of them is out for months (Wills). It looks like a notable step down. May be irrelevant depending on how we match up in the forwards.

I think we've strengthened our kicking options a bit with late additions like Caz Collie and Polly Roberts. I'm spitballing a little bit. Will be a better judge once I've seen them in the cup games.

Also perhaps worth caveating that some caps like Tanya Bird (Philippines) and Katie Childs (Sweden), with respect, maybe played a step down than the likes of Leah Bartlett or Tess Fuery. But a cap is a cap, and shouldn't be disregarded.

Interesting, thanks. As you say, we’ll have to see after a few games at this level.

[Cagey Tiger]

Thank you! I really appreciate your efforts to keep us informed re our women’s team

+1

[thunderbirds]

Yes thank you- looking forward to watching them this season.

[Hot_Charlie]

Interesting to see that we have capped players in every position bar scrum half. Do you think this will hinder us?

I would say the halfbacks are potentially an area of relative weakness, when the likes of Lucy Packer, Mo Hunt, Zoe Harrison and Lleucu George are about. Hard to say without testing in the heat of battle.

I think we may suffer in the weeks when Meg Jones is away on 7s duty. We have a few who could step into the role, and one of them is out for months (Wills). It looks like a notable step down. May be irrelevant depending on how we match up in the forwards.

I think we've strengthened our kicking options a bit with late additions like Caz Collie and Polly Roberts. I'm spitballing a little bit. Will be a better judge once I've seen them in the cup games.

Also perhaps worth caveating that some caps like Tanya Bird (Philippines) and Katie Childs (Sweden), with respect, maybe played a step down than the likes of Leah Bartlett or Tess Fuery. But a cap is a cap, and shouldn't be disregarded.

Interesting, thanks. As you say, we’ll have to see after a few games at this level.

Though uncapped, all three of those listed at scrum half - and Ellie Turner at 10 - do have Premier 15s experience. They aren't internationals, but likewise, this season won't be their first top level rodeo, so to speak.

[No6_Flanker]

Though uncapped, all three of those listed at scrum half - and Ellie Turner at 10 - do have Premier 15s experience. They aren't internationals, but likewise, this season won't be their first top level rodeo, so to speak.

Oh that’s good to know.

I was also wondering whether we’ll be able to give Cockayne a strong maul platform to do what she does best?

[TigerXV]

Upcoming Fixtures:
Allianz Cup: Sep 23 - Sale (A), Sep 30 - Worcester (Oval Park), Oct 14 - Bristol (A), Oct 28 - Exeter (H)
Premiership: w/e Nov 18 - Exeter (H), w/e Nov 25 - Gloucester (A), w/e Dec 2 - Loughborough (H - DH), w/e Dec 9 - Ealing (A)

Coaching Team
Head of Women's Rugby: Vicky Macqueen
Senior Coach: Tom Hudson
Forwards Coach: Luke Stratford
Set Piece Coach: Rocky Clark
Defence Coach: Steve Hanna
S&C Lead: Lewis Knight

Playing Squad:
(* Denotes capped XVs International)

Prop: Leah Bartlett*, Caitlin Clark, Georgie Grimes, Jade Jones, Churchy Knight, Keia Mae Sagapolu*, Ofure Ugiagbe
Hooker: Alana Bainbridge, Amy Cokayne*, Elis Martin*, Samantha Williams
Second row: Eva Donaldson*, Charlotte Fray, Catha Jacobs*, Maddie Massey, Georgia Westwood
Back row: Tanya Bird*, Tahlia Brody*, Roisin McBrien, Sydney Mead, Leilah Mills, Becky Noon, Amy Orrow, Morgan Richardson, Kat Turner, Zoe Warrington
Scrum-half: Lucy Nye, Amy Relf, Polly Roberts
Fly-half: Meg Jones*, Ellie Turner
Centre: Katie Childs*, Rebecca De Filippo*, Natasha Jones (c), Linzi Taylor, Evie Wills*
Wing: Louisa Burgham, Charlotte Daley, Molly Draycott, Zoë Evans, Fran McGhie*, Celia Quansah, Harriet Roberts, Katie Thicker, Amelia Tutt*,
Fullback: Caroline Collie*, Tess Fuery*, Amanda Swartz*

Lichfield/Kenilworth: Ella-Mae Fereday (Lock), Ali Gale (Lock), Holly Williams (Fly-Half), Abi Gordon (Centre), Tami Agboola (Wing), Lottie Bozon (Wing), Bryany Chalk (Wing), Lucrezia Iavarone (Wing)

Known injuries: Catha Jacobs (Collarbone), Celia Quansah (ACL), Evie Wills (ACL)

Thanks for putting this all together - looking forward to watching the team this year and getting to know more about the players and seeing what they can do

[Darc Tiger]

Cheers, all!

Though uncapped, all three of those listed at scrum half - and Ellie Turner at 10 - do have Premier 15s experience. They aren't internationals, but likewise, this season won't be their first top level rodeo, so to speak.

Oh that’s good to know.

I was also wondering whether we’ll be able to give Cockayne a strong maul platform to do what she does best?

I'm quite optimistic that we'll be competitive at scrum and maul, particularly at full strength. Lineout needed work from last season, but with the players/coaches added this season, I'm hopeful we'll be up to snuff.

[No6_Flanker]

I'm quite optimistic that we'll be competitive at scrum and maul, particularly at full strength. Lineout needed work from last season, but with the players/coaches added this season, I'm hopeful we'll be up to snuff.

You’d like to think that the squad will have a big focus on our traditional strengths, set piece and maul.

[Hot_Charlie]

I'm quite optimistic that we'll be competitive at scrum and maul, particularly at full strength. Lineout needed work from last season, but with the players/coaches added this season, I'm hopeful we'll be up to snuff.

You’d like to think that the squad will have a big focus on our traditional strengths, set piece and maul.

I think with the prop and hooker recruits (and other pack recruits too), we might be aiming for a very strong set piece.

[Darc Tiger]

I'm quite optimistic that we'll be competitive at scrum and maul, particularly at full strength. Lineout needed work from last season, but with the players/coaches added this season, I'm hopeful we'll be up to snuff.

You’d like to think that the squad will have a big focus on our traditional strengths, set piece and maul.

I think with the prop and hooker recruits (and other pack recruits too), we might be aiming for a very strong set piece.

I think Bartlett, Cokayne, Ugiagbe should be a stern match-up for anybody, but we're relatively young and untested outside of that, and there are some frightening packs in this league. Could still be a touch underweight in the back 5 against the best. Lots of potential, but it will probably take time.