Scotland forward Evie Gallagher says playing at next year’s Rugby World Cup would be a “full circle” moment after injury robbed her of the chance to play in New Zealand two years ago.
Gallagher was named in the initial World Cup squad by Bryan Easson in 2022, but ruptured ankle ligaments the following day and was forced to drop out.
It was, she admitted, a bitter pill to swallow at the time. However, she now has a completely different outlook.
The 24-year-old said: “At the time, I was really upset but looking back, it was one of the best things that happened to me in my career.
"I hadn’t been full-time for long and it was my first long-term injury. I feel like I came back stronger, and a better player, than before.
“Elis Martin ended up going in my place and she took that opportunity and got a contract off the back of it. We speak about it now and I’m so happy she got the chance because look where she is now.
“I don’t look back on that injury negatively any more because of the good things that came out of it.
“I’ll tick the box when I get to the World Cup. It will be a full circle moment.”
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The season that Gallagher – and Scotland – hope ends at the World Cup will begin next weekend as Scotland welcome Wales and Fiji to Hive Stadium in their autumn test series.
The Bristol Bears forward is looking forward to those matches and believes they will stand Scotland in good stead ahead of their WXV 2 title defence in South Africa.
She added: “We learn a lot when we play Wales so that will be a good one to see where we are at the start of the season.
“I’ve never played Fiji before but they are an incredible team, so we’re excited to see how we match up against them.”
The return of Jade Konkel to the squad means Gallagher has battle-hardened competition for the number eight jersey.
But rather than going head-to-head with the Harlequins captain, Gallagher hopes head coach Bryan Easson can find a way to get the pair on the field together.
She said: “Me and Jade get on really well. It doesn’t feel like we’re competing with each other.
“We push each other and help each other. I would be very happy to play with Jade on the pitch, so it’s annoying we are competing for the same position, but hopefully we’ll find a way of getting some game-time with us both on the pitch.”
The pair are battling to impress new forwards coach Fraser Brown, who has made an instant impact on the group.
She said: “I like how straight to the point he is. He’s brought in some new things which has given everyone a clean slate and it’s brought us forwards even closer as a group.”
One of Brown’s first areas of improvement was the contact area, and Gallagher has relished that challenge.
“It’s an area we need to get more aggressive,” she continued.
“Fraser is very clear about what he wants from us and hopefully we’ll see that in our autumn tests coming up.
“We don’t want to turn the ball over, especially with the new attack we’ve got, so we can’t be losing the ball cheaply.”
Gallagher was speaking as part of the announcement that Vodafone has become a new principal partner with both the Scotland men’s and women’s teams.
Scotland Women’s autumn tests will be known as the Vodafone Series, while the women’s players will also have access to the Player Connect app, which helps them understand the impact their menstrual cycle has on performance, wellbeing and recovery.
Vodafone is also investing in the women’s pathway, which will include the sponsorship of regional training centres to help develop young female players.
And Gallagher believes having such a high-profile brand involved in the women’s game shows how much it has grown.
She said: “To have such a big-name sponsor on the back of the women’s shirt, and the support Vodafone are showing the women’s game, is incredible.
“A lot of that has to come from what the girls have done on the pitch, and the work off the pitch to show we are worth backing.”
Vodafone is a new Principal Partner and back of shirt sponsor of Scottish Rugby's Men's and Women's team.
Vodafone is also a Principal Partner of Scottish Rugby’s Women’s Pathway, supporting the growth of the women’s game in Scotland.
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