Emily Scarratt has reflected on her difficult year with injury as she prepares to start Saturday's crunch TikTok Six Nations fixtures against Wales.
The World Cup winning centre suffered a horrific ankle injury on the opening day of the Allianz Premier 15s season for Loughborough Lightning.
Speaking to The Rugby Paper Podcast, Scarratt spoke of her return to the ever-impressive Red Roses.
She said: “It wasn't quite the run in I wanted in terms of preparation but at the same time we do some tough training so it feels like I have played a lot more matches than I have because of the training we do.”
Her start in the Red Roses Six Nations opener was her second rugby match since the injury.
“I was able to get 20 minutes for my club prior to the Six Nations which was not quite as much as we'd have wanted.”
However, following her 60 minutes from the start against Italy, she came off the bench for a 15 minute cameo in Sunday's demolition of Italy.
Managing workload on her return means that Scarratt will be fresh to face Wales at a packed out Kingsholm on Saturday evening.
“After 60 against Scotland and 15 at the weekend, it (ankle) is feeling good.
“It was quite a substantial injury so it is going to be a bit stiff of a morning and take a bit longer to recover. I need to do some extra work on it but all is going well so far.”
“Sarah Hunter and I got a little 15 minute cameo at the end of the game against Italy. The body is doing alright thankfully.”
Sarah had to watch from the punditry positions during the autumn series against the Black Ferns in which England were impressively dominant.
Despite missing out, Scarratt said: “I enjoyed being there and feeling a small part of it on the other side of it doing punditry stuff.”
“Obviously I wanted to be in the thick of it. I'm a rugby player, that's why I play rugby.
“For me, I love the game and wanted to get behind the girls.”
An injury lay off allowed Scarratt to take up other commitments. As well as her punditry, she was approached by The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast to create The Good, The Scaz and The Rugby podcast with Mike Tindall and Elma Smit.
“We started it this time last year. It's obviously a spin off from what the boys do on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, it was something they came to me with.
“It definitely was not a space or sphere that I felt particularly comfortable in or would have come up with by myself.
“But, it pushed me out of my comfort zone. It has been good fun, we've spoken to some amazing people – both in the rugby world and we have also expanded into all women's sport. It has been received pretty well.”
The Rugby Paper Podcast is available to download or stream on Apple, Spotify, Google and Amazon.
