World Cup winning hooker Amy Cokayne captains Tom Hudson’s Sale Sharks Women in the first PWR game of the new season against Leicester Tigers at the Morson Stadium.
Cokayne is one of five summer signings making a league debut with Katie Childs, Sharifa Kasolo, Amy Relf and Rhona Lloyd also appearing for the first time in the league.
Fellow Red Rose Holly Aitchison will make her Sharks debut from the bench after joining from Bristol Bears.
Skipper Cokayne will pack down in the front row alongside Tysh Harper and Evie Roach for the first game of the new campaign.
There’s a familiar combination behind them in the second row as Iona Antwis teams up with returning USA Eagles lock Erica Jarrell-Searcy.
In the back row Trudy Cowan starts at blindside flanker with former Tigers player Childs on the openside and Kasolo, who joined from Saracens, at number 8.
There’s another former Tiger at scrum-half with Relf starting in the number nine shirt alongside fly-half Lizzie Duffy and they’ll have Katana Howard and Laura Perrin for company in the centres.
In the back-three, Holly Thorpe starts on one wing with Scotland winger Lloyd on the other. Vicky Irwin starts at full-back.
On the bench, Milly Hyndman, Nick James and Sophie Benavent, are the front-row replacements. Charlotte Fray and Polly Bowman are the other forwards in reserve with Olivia Ortiz, Aitchison and Nikita Prothero making up the 23.
IMPORTANT TICKET INFORMATION
Morson Stadium is now SOLD OUT for the opening-round clash between Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers.
If you have a Women’s Season Ticket or Match Ticket, you will be able to enter the stadium. Please note that no tickets will be available at the gate.
Sale Sharks Men’s Season Ticket Holders who have not yet claimed their free Women’s Season Ticket will be unable to attend this weekend’s match. However, the portal will reopen on Monday, 27th October, to allow you to claim your ticket for the next fixture.
Secure your spot today for our next home fixture on Saturday 8th November against Ealing Trailfinders here.
Starting XV:
15. Vicky Irwin, 14. Rhona Lloyd, 13. Laura Perrin, 12. Katana Howard, 11. Holly Thorpe, 10. Lizzie Duffy, 9. Amy Relf ;1. Tysh Harper, 2. Amy Cokayne ©, 3. Evie Roach, 4. Iona Antwis, 5. Erica Jarrell-Searcy, 6. Trudy Cowan, 7. Katie Childs, 8. Sharifa Kasolo.
Replacements:
16. Milly Hyndman, 17. Nick James, 18. Sophie Benavent, 19. Charlotte Fray, 20. Polly Bowman, 21. Olivia Ortiz, 22. Holly Aitchison, 23. Nikita Prothero.
Match stats:
Sale Sharks
- Sale Sharks Women led the PWR for tackle turnovers won (51) and had the third-best scrum success rate (85.4%).
- Beatrice Rigoni led the league for both tackle turnovers won (8) and interceptions (3).
- Charlotte Fray ranked second in the competition for dominant tackle contacts (16) last season.
Leicester Tigers
- Leicester Tigers Women led the PWR for scrum success with an 87.2% win rate and 136 scrums won.
- Julia Omokhuale ranked fourth in the PWR for dominant tackle contacts last season. (13).
- Leicester Tigers Women made an average of 4.7 attacking kicks per 80 minutes last season – the second-most in the league.
