RAF star Amy Cokayne scores hat-trick in storming return to Leicester Tigers

Royal Air Force rugby star Amy Cokayne has returned to Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby in style by scoring a hat-trick in her first-ever set of tries for Leicester Tigers in their clash against Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate.

This was the flight lieutenant's first game in a Leicester Tiger's jersey since the Inter Service championship, where Cokayne started for the RAF against the Army, and also since she helped the Red Roses to their grand slam victory in the Women's Six Nations.

Cokayne scored two tries in the first half, where Leicester Tigers found themselves 33-12 down on Bristol Bears at half-time.

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She came back in the second half and scored herself a hat-trick, rounding off a storming return to Leicester Tigers by scoring her first, second and third tries for the team all in the same game.

Despite a 62-24 loss, Cokayne told Leicester Tigers TV (LTTV) that the result "doesn't feel like" a tough defeat where the scoreline doesn't fully reflect the game.

She said: "You say tough loss, but it doesn't necessarily feel like that.

"The aim was to get about four tries as we know how important bonus points and stuff are.

"We did leak in a lot of points, but we got our four tries, that what we came here to do today so kind of a bit happy about that."

Her RAF teammates Lucy Nye and Orla Proctor were also on the team for Leicester Tigers, with Proctor starting in the right wing and RAF skipper Nye subbing in at scrum-half.

Elsewhere in the women's premiership, Army skipper Jade Mullen started for Harlequins in their final away game of the 2023/24 season, losing to Loughborough 38-19.

In the men's premiership, Royal Navy and Fiji international Sam Matavesi started for his club Northampton Saints against Bath Rugby, where they were thumped 43-12 by the Bath outfit who secured a play-off game as a result.

RAF star Josh McNally was not on the team for Bath, following the announcement that he will be leaving the team at the end of the season.