Claudia MacDonald: England wing was ‘terrified’ to be near rugby pitch before return
England Wing Claudia MacDonald said she had overcome her fear of recovering from a second neck injury to leaving the house after returning to the Red Rose device.
MacDonald can also compete in Scrum-Half is Excluded from six countries last year In February 2024, the second neck injury.
She then suffered her first neck injury in 2022, which made Chief Exeter effective Considering retirement.
The 29-year-old was recalled to England’s Six Nations after he beat Exeter’s rugby with the final title of Gloucester-Hartpury in Exeter’s Premier League women’s rugby match in December 2024.
Before Roses began to defend their title, MacDonald said she was terrified of anything related to rugby.
“I made a tackle and the next second I couldn’t move my arms or legs on the floor, so it was very scary at the first few moments,” McDonald said Wednesday.
“In the first few months, the game wasn’t even on the radar – it was about trying to remind me of what happened.
“I’m scared of being in a rugby court or anywhere near a rugby ball. I don’t want to get myself out of the wall because I don’t want anything behind me because I’m afraid of being knocked down.
“I barely left my house and I was told not to get in the car, so it was all horrible, but thankfully we’ve gotten rid of all of that.”
McDonald said she had to learn to trust her body again – but reunion with club teammates reminded her why she was back in action.
