I want to get that England shirt back, says Scarratt
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The smiles said it all, after 13 painstaking months on the sidelines, the pure joy of returning to competitive action was evident for England star Emily Scarratt.
A 48-minute cameo for Loughborough Lightning against Bristol last week was a sufficient starting point for the 34-year-old, who had finally worked her way back from neck surgery in early 2023.
“I had a bulging neck disc which was compromising my cord, which is obviously pretty dangerous,” said Scarratt. “It was stable where it was, but it wasn't regressing or recovering by itself.
“Even if I didn't come back to rugby, it was the right thing to do for my life than that hanging over you. When it is for the rest of your life, it kind of put things into perspective and the surgery was actually for that reason, but it gave me an opportunity to come back and play rugby.”
Now, with the Women's Six Nations Championship set to start on March 24 away to Italy, Scarratt's next goal is to get back among John Mitchell's England squad and add to her 108 Test caps.
“I'd be lying if I said I don't want to get back in that shirt, but I'm not taking anything for granted,” she said. “It would mean a lot, but I'm not thinking about it too much. I've not played much rugby and there's some girls that have played a lot and have been playing really well. Right now, I'm just trying to put my head down, do my thing, and just get back playing and enjoying myself.”
Although a little ringrusty at times at Ashton Gate, Scarratt was still able to demonstrate her undoubted talents, producing a number of individual highlights in her side's 33-17 defeat.
“It's just nice to get back out there and survive the first game,” added the former World Player of the Year. “I still have a big appetite to play.”
It's all a far cry from what has undoubtedly been the most testing period of her career to date.
“Inevitably you have tough days, you don't spend 14 months out of the game you love without having a few tough days,” added Scarratt. “I am, though, a pretty level-headed kind of person, whereby I understood what was going on and didn't get too emotionally invested in certain bits.
“No injury is ever easy and people will always have different experiences, but I had an amazing support network around me, all of which helped me get back here, both physically and mentally.”
And the sight of Scarrett back on the field will certainly be a welcome boost for Mitchell, who is set to take charge of the Red Roses for the first time since taking over from Simon Middleton.
“He has checked in throughout this whole process, which has been really nice, to just see how I am getting on. He called me before the first game and said go out and play. That was really nice. I am looking forward to developing that relationship.”
