Although Leicester Tigers has been around since for almost 150 years, only since September of 2022 has it been possible for a women's team to pull on the famous green, white and red stripes.
That first official game came in deep in the north of England against a backdrop of a chilly Bishop Auckland in the opening round of Championship North 1.
Two and a half years later, two participants from that opening match will travel south to Saracens, the most successful team in the history of the women's top flight and become the first women to ever reach 50 appearances for the club.
Morgan Richardson and Amy Relf are both day one Tigers in every sense of the word, with heritage numbers #9 and #17 respectively. When asked about that first game and what lead to them joining the club, both had enjoyed different journeys to Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Amy Relf: "I had been playing for Loughborough Lightning at the time, predominantly on the BUCS side and lots of my friends played for Lichfield when the rumours began swirling around this new side. I actually messaged one of the coaches directly, asking how to be involved!
"I was in the area and Tigers is Tigers - I wanted to be part of the team.
"I wanted to enjoy rugby again. I had really loved it when I was young but when I first entered into the elite side of thing I wasn't feeling that same joy. The move was a real spark in feeling that again."
Morgan Richardson: "It was a massive shock. Although I was quite young I had played for a lot of years, wanting to go further but never thinking it was possible.
"I was just finishing my first year with Lichfield, not even knowing about a potential link with Tigers.
"That first game, I just remember the excitement in the build up, knowing that this was the start of a whole programme. It was cool to be a part of Leicester Tigers."
AR: "I actually broke my ankle during that game, so it wasn't the best start *laughs*.
"I remember taking a quick tap penalty and someone just wiped me out. Luckily I didn't have to miss too many games but travelling back from Bish was tough - the ice pack melted on the way home."
In that first year, Richardson featured in all 18 league fixtures, starting in the Championship Play Off final at Twickenham at the age of just 20. Relf, meanwhile, has started all but one of Leicester's matches this year, an ever-present at scrum-half.
The pair have demonstrated versatility in their time at the club, with Relf starting across both half-back positions and the wing, whilst Richardson spent much of the Championship year at scrum half before moving permanently to the backrow.
The step up from the Championship to the Premiership can be an enormous one but both handled it with aplomb, something head coach Tom Hudson puts down to "the value of hard work".
AR: "In some aspects it was a smooth transition as a lot of the staff and players came over but we knew that ultimately our quality had to step up a notch.
MR: "It was different. The training is a wholesale step up, it is completely different. We had a few cup games first which was a nice way to ease our way in, although even those matches you could tell this was a completely different level.
"I remember being a bit scared initially but as soon as I stepped on that field, it's just rugby."
Both players have developed not just through the coaching staff but also those around them, with the pair crediting the impact of internationals like Amy Cokayne and Meg Jones.
Relf talks fondly of training alongside Scotland scrum half Jenny Maxwell whilst Richardson also puts a lot of her development down to her connections with fellow originals Roisin McBrien and Becky Noon (who retired from playing last June).
MR: "Ro is a little more experienced than me which I like as we're both similar players. There's so many little things I've picked up from playing with her.
"Noony was a great person to be around, all the time and I learned a lot. I miss her.
AR: "Each year it's gone up a notch here; having Tom and the other coaches has been amazing, just the extra training sessions, able to work on specific skills.
"My game understanding has improved immeasurably through having these players around me. The likes of Jenny Maxwell, who came in over the summer, have really helped me.
"A big thing for me has been about reading the momentum of the game and I'll often recieve clips from the playmakers (Natasha Jones and Claire Gallagher) where we will discuss how to approach certain situations."
MR: "I feel like my game has developed massively. They (Amy & Meg) push the standard at training because that's who they are.
"I'd say it's really helped with my attention to detail on the pitch as well as constantly thinking about the next job.
"They are so drilled on 'what's next', they are always thinking and never switch off. It's massively improved my game.
The two have featured extensively across key events across the short history of the team. Both Richardson and Relf featured in that first league match, with the former scoring a try, both ran out for Tigers at Twickenham / Allianz Stadium (in the Championship Play-Off final and Harlequins' Big Game 16), both started in the club's first ever Premiership win and were on the field for last week's maiden home Premiership victory.
Asked to touch upon their personal highlights in their time in Leicester, they responded:
MR: "I remember scoring at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in that first season; Molly (Draycott) put me through and I scored under the posts and I remember everyone saying I'd paid her off to pass me the ball! Beating Cheltenham away in the snow was a great day.
"The win against Sale, that first win was so surreal. I'd started the match but when the final whistle blew I was on the bench and I stood up and felt like I could have passed out. It was crazy and so good for the whole programme, it gave us a real belief.
AR: "Those first home games, they were amazing; I remember just being in awe at the level of support we received from the Tigers fans, even at that Championship level.
"The Loughborough game at home, the first double header we did was brilliant.
"This season we have been able to really set specific targets for games which has been great, hunting wins and try bonus points.
"Getting the 50 caps this weekend, especially alongside Morgs, that will be really special."
