Sale Sharks' Rhona Lloyd ready to make Manchester home after Rugby World Cup exploits

Rhona Lloyd is ready to make Manchester home after spending two weeks with Scotland in the city for the World Cup.

The attacking superstar is returning to Premiership Women’s Rugby after four years in France, as well as multiple stints with the Great Britain sevens squad.

The 28-year-old has signed for Sale Sharks for the 2025-26 season and will link up with the Manchester-based side at the end of Scotland’s World Cup campaign.

“I didn’t know Manchester at all before this World Cup experience, and I have had such a good first impression of the support for women’s rugby here as well as the vibe in the city," she said.

"I am really excited to get down here after this job is over with.”

Lighting up the scoreboard ⚡️

Rhona Lloyd powers through for her second try against Fiji 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #RWC2025 | #SCOvFIJ pic.twitter.com/FdzwHERNxP

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) August 30, 2025

Lloyd scored two tries at Salford Community Stadium in a 29-15 win over Fiji as Scotland booked their place in the quarter-finals.

The stadium has previously hosted two Sharks women’s matches in double headers with the men’s team.

Double-headers were also used at this World Cup, with the two matchdays in Salford selling out and bringing in 19,857 fans across two weekends.

Despite six different teams playing at the stadium over the two rounds, Scotland’s support was overwhelming with strains of Flower of Scotland heard around the venue hours before their side took to the pitch.

The former Loughborough Lightning winger added: “The atmosphere has been insane, both games have felt like a home crowd which has meant the absolute world to us, the travelling support has been amazing. 

“With this World Cup, there feels like there is so much excitement and so many people celebrating the game.

“I was getting selfies with people in Welsh tops, English tops, Canadian tops, Scottish tops.

“So it is so cool to see the support for women’s rugby even since the World Cup three years ago, it feels like it has exploded and it is a very exciting time.

“The support has been insane, the crowds have been a different level at this World Cup, they have made a difference this week and last week.”

No rest for @Scotlandteam 🙌

Rhona Lloyds builds the Scottish lead against Fiji 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
#RWC2025 | #SCOvFIJ pic.twitter.com/6rBs0A3lco

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) August 30, 2025

Lloyd’s skipper Rachel Malcolm has called on the fans to follow the team down Exeter for their match against Canada.

Whatever happens, Scotland will have a chance to play in a World Cup knockout game for the first time since 2002.

“We want to inspire the next generation of rugby players in Scotland and the longer we can stay in this competition, we can do that,” Lloyd said.

“I am absolutely buzzing to make the quarterfinals, that has been a massive goal of Scotland.

“As someone who played in the last World Cup when we didn’t achieve that it honestly means the world to have ticked that off and secured that.”

With more than 400,000 tickets already sold, and prices starting at just £5 for children and £10 for adults, fans are encouraged to secure their tickets now via tickets.rugbyworldcup.com