Proud Trevarthen revels in Lightning history

"I'm so grateful for everybody making it so special in the lead up," the prop said.

"I didn’t realise it would be made as big a deal as it was. Everybody made it really special and made me feel really appreciated by the club. It was so cool.

"I was expecting a social media post, that sort of thing, but I didn’t expect my phone to be popping off in the way it is. It has been a bit mental."

Such was the excitement at Lightning, the club's social media account even credited her with scoring the opening try in their bonus-point victory.

It was soon corrected to Bo Westcombe-Evans, but symptomatic of wanting to celebrate a player that has been at the coalface for the entirety of Loughborough's existence and has often been an unsung hero.

Amidst all the celebrating it is easy to forget that this season was not on Trevarthen's agenda.

Almost a year ago Lightning announced that the prop was going to step back from playing duties to focus on her full-time job as Loughborough University's BUCS Women's Rugby Lead.

Having overseen the development of Lightning regulars Westcombe-Evans, Georgina Tasker and Isla Curphey in recent years, the 28-year-old has seen rugby participation at the university more than double during her time in the programme.

Initially expecting to spend this season on the touchline, Trevarthen believes that her unpredictable return in African Violet has made this campaign all the more enjoyable.

"It really hasn’t worked out like that," Trevarthen said. "I quite rightly got a lot of stick for that this week as well.

"When Nathan Smith came in as head coach, we had a gap in the front-row and he asked how I felt about playing.

"I said, ‘I don’t think it’s the right thing for me’ and I kept him on the ropes for a while.

"That is probably why I am so grateful for 100 appearances, because it was never something I thought I was going to achieve and that is what I feel about this season.

"There are so many amazing memories. We are playing great rugby, I think next season is going to be a huge one for Loughborough Lightning.

"We are getting ourselves in touching distance of that top four and all of those experiences are ones I hadn’t banked on having because I wasn’t planning on playing this year.

"All of it is a bonus and it has been a pretty cool bonus."

With the four semi-finalists already decided, Trevarthen and her teammates are hoping to end this season strongly and enter 2024/25 on a high.

Possessing talent across their squad and buy-in from a string of seasoned internationals, the club are hoping to consolidate fifth in the table in their final two games of the season against Trailfinders Women and Saracens, before targeting a play-offs return next year.

"It is actually all about what we can do right now to finish this season, putting ourselves in the best position for next season," Trevarthen said.

"A really strong finish, fifth in the table would be amazing for us going into a season where we really want to challenge for the top four.

"I think Nathan has been incredible this year. You cannot fault the amount of energy he puts into the programme. He is tireless. He is so invested.

"I think that drive he has got is infectious for everyone. You can’t be part of the Lightning programme now and not be invested in it because of how invested he is and the standards he asks of people, but the standards he is willing to give back himself.

"If he hadn’t run the programme the way he has, I don’t think we would be in the position we are."