GB Sevens captain Abbie Brown leads 10 Loughborough Lightning re-signings for 2026/27

Two-time Olympian Abbie Brown has re-signed with Loughborough Lightning, headlining a group of 10 players who have committed to the club ahead of the 2026/27 Premiership Women’s Rugby season. The GB Sevens captain, 30, is the second longest-serving member of head coach Nathan Smith’s squad and has made 15 appearances for the club since joining in October 2020.

Brown represented Great Britain at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games but missed the 2024 Paris Games through a hamstring injury. Last season she had initially planned to step back from elite sevens rugby before ultimately returning to the GB programme for the HSBC SVNS Series and all three HSBC SVNS World Championship events.

Smith said of her return: “It is great to have Abbie with us for another year. We know her heart lies in sevens, however, when she is with us, she only adds to the environment with her experience, which is invaluable around the younger players.”

Alongside Brown, current and former England U20/U21 internationals Amy Layzell, Kaya Acton, Catherine Wells, Ellie Roberts and Molly Luthayi have all signed new deals to remain at the East Midlands club. Wales U20 cap Ellie Tromans has also re-signed, as has Churchy Knight, who has made one appearance for the club to date.

New contracts have also been handed to Polly Peterson and Tiwaah Adjei-Ansere, who have spent the majority of their rugby on a dual-registered basis with the Buckingham Swans.

Roberts arrives into the new season in strong form, having recently captained Loughborough University to the BUCS Super Rugby Milk Championship title in Newport and led England Students to a 63-0 victory over the UK Armed Forces in July.

The re-signings build on a busy off-season for Lightning, who had already confirmed the retention of England Red Roses Helena Rowland, Sadia Kabeya and Haineala Lutui, and have added six Canada internationals to their squad.

Smith outlined the club’s broader ambition: “We are looking to build a strong core to the squad that remains consistent so we can build, together, year on year. Every player in this group of re-signings has a key role to play within the squad, and I expect all of them to be challenging for PWR game time come the start of the season.”