Francesca McGhie eager to finish season strongly after injury return

*Photography by SNS/Scottish Rugby

Francesca McGhie is determined to make up for lost time as she returns to action for both Scotland and Trailfinders Women following a lengthy spell on the sidelines through injury.

After sustaining a shoulder injury earlier in the season, the Scotland international faced a challenging rehabilitation process before making her long-awaited comeback.

“It definitely wasn’t an easy process,” McGhie said. “In rehab most people find that you progress really quickly, and then there's a plateau, which is very frustrating.

“But I’m just very proud and happy to be back and playing and that the rehab journey is over.”

Throughout her recovery, McGhie used Scotland’s Guiness Women’s Six Nations clash against England as a key target to stay motivated.

“It was definitely the milestone of England vs Scotland that I wanted to get back for,” she explained. “It was quite a tight turnaround, but I did actually have a countdown on my phone.

“It probably wasn't the healthiest thing to do, but it really helped put everything into perspective. It reminded me of how many days I've still got to go, which made me more excited and ready as it got closer.”

Returning to Scotland camp for the Six Nations was another major boost for the winger, particularly with a refreshed environment around the squad this year.

“The Six Nations is probably everyone's favourite time of year, so everybody was just so excited to get back in,” she said.

“We’ve got lots of new faces in the squad and staff this year, which has been challenging but also really exciting.”

One of the standout moments of McGhie’s return came at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, where Scotland ran out in front of a record-breaking crowd against the Red Roses.

“It was so overwhelming to feel the support from everyone,” she added. “The photos of Rhona crying as we came off the bus really shows how much it meant to us all.

“Hearing the anthem was incredible and we've all put that experience away in like a special place. That's what we want to thrive for every game.”

The occasion marked the largest-ever crowd for a women’s sporting event in Scotland, something McGhie says the squad are immensely proud to have been part of.

“We’re all very proud of what we've achieved,” she added. “We’ve acknowledged how far we’ve come and that it’s something we should be proud of. It was an incredible occasion.”

Attention now turns back to the PWR season, with Trailfinders Women facing crucial fixtures against Gloucester Hartpury and Saracens as the race for the semi-finals intensifies.

“We have two big games, against two great teams and it’s always a tough match against them,” McGhie said.

“I only played for Trailfinders a couple of times before getting injured, so I'm just looking forward to getting back into the club environment and see what we can do.”

With Trailfinders firmly in the hunt for a top four finish, McGhie believes there is everything to play for in the closing stages of the campaign.

“Everybody wants to be in that top four and to get to those knockout rounds, and I think we have a real shot at it,” she said.

“That competitive level is why we play in the PWR.”

As for her personal aims for the remainder of the season, the Scotland international is keeping things simple.

I just want to get more rugby under my belt again. It's been a long time for me to be out, so I’m focused on getting some good minutes.