Scotland’s title-winning WXV campaign last year was full of outstanding individual moments, with a 50-metre try from lock Sarah Bonar against Japan arguably the pick of the bunch.  

Remarkably, the Harlequins forward had been struggling with back spasms in the build-up to the game but put those to one side as she showed a terrific turn of pace to outsprint to outsprint the covering defence.  

A year on, Bonar has put the shoulder injury she suffered in the Six Nations win over Wales behind her and hopes to be part of the Scotland squad going to South Africa to defend their title next month.  

Reflecting on her try-scoring exploits against Japan, she admitted it is “all a bit of a blur”.  

She said: “I just remember thinking there is a kick, I might as well see if I can reach it and I grabbed it and then thought I need to run now! 

“In the run up to it I had tweaked my back and one of the things I had been struggling with was opening up and striding.  

“Then in one of my first instances on the ball there was no other option but to go. It was class and it was a nice one to score.” 

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After the high of scoring that stunning try and helping Scotland to their first trophy in two decades, Bonar was forced to watch on during the Six Nations after injuring her AC joint in Cardiff. 

It was the second Six Nations in succession she missed, with a broken collarbone keeping her out of the 2023 championship.  

“It is just the nature of the sport, there will be contact injuries,” the 30-year-old said philosophically. 

“I like to think I am quite a good rehabber and getting in the gym and training and it is just one of those things in the sport we play. Hopefully, touch wood, I can have a good consistent run of it now.” 

Bonar, who works as a flying officer in the RAF Police, said the support of her employer was important during her injury rehab.  

She continued: "They let me fully focus on rehabbing and recovery. 

“Unfortunately I wasn’t able to play in the inter-services matches, but I went in there as a lineout lead so I was still able to get stuck into camps which mentally I probably needed during the Six Nations because I struggled not being with the international girls.  

“I am really thankful to work for helping me through and anything I needed they were just class with, it was also nice to coach.” 

With Bonar absent, Eva Donaldson and Fi McIntosh stepped in during the Six Nations, while Holland Bogan and Natasha Logan have been part of the current pre-season training squad.  

Bonar said she has been impressed by the strength in depth.  

She said: “They are really good, it is so good having that strength in depth coming through. 

“They are great ball carriers and they have so much potential to come through in the next few years which is good for Scotland.” 

Sarah Bonar during a Scotland training sessionSarah Bonar during a Scotland training session (Image: Paul Devlin - SNS Group / SRU) Sarah Bonar during a Scotland training session

Bonar only took up rugby a decade ago, during her final year studying geography at Loughborough University. Before that, she harboured dreams of becoming an Olympic rower.  

But having watched some of her former team-mates at the Olympics in Paris recently, including Emily Ford who won bronze as part of the women’s eight, Bonar is glad she turned to rugby.  

When asked if she wished she had stuck at rowing, she said: “Absolutely not, no! 

 “The gruel and the slog if you are competing as a single rower is really tough whereas when I am working hard here I have the girls around me and that makes it much better.” 

Another rower, Taylor Winyard, who became the first Scot to row the Atlantic and Pacific recently, will be at Hive Stadium to present the match ball for the match against Fiji on September 13.  

It will be an extra special moment for Bonar, as she explained: "She is one of my good mates. To have her involved bringing the ball out at the Fiji game will be class and special for the whole squad especially those of us who know her.” 

Bonar will hope to mark the occasion with a win as Scotland sign off their preparations for their WXV 2 title defence.