'Fitter and stronger' MacDonald stakes wing spot

"I was terrified to be anywhere near a rugby pitch or a rugby ball."

Following a second neck injury in February 2024, the thought of playing again was a huge ask for England wing Claudia MacDonald, who had already considered retirement.

A comeback that seemed nearly impossible, when MacDonald barely left her house after being told not to go in a car, is now at an unimageable point.

The 29-year-old picked up the player-of-the-match award after scoring two tries in a convincing win over Scotland in the Women's Six Nations.

She has not just come back on the biggest stage, but is thriving and pushing for a starting spot against France in Saturday's Grand Slam decider at Allianz Stadium.

"I'm just loving every second of being back," a beaming MacDonald told the BBC. "We're just surrounded by so many talents - amazing, incredible rugby players.

"It's a privilege to put the shirt on. To be picked out today, player of the match? It makes me a bit emotional to be honest.

"The best is yet to come. Look at the skill we have throughout the squad. People say we need to be beaten but we beat each other up in training and push each other so hard."

Having only returned in Exeter's Premiership Women's Rugby defeat by eventual champions Gloucester-Hartpury last December, John Mitchell decided to select MacDonald in his Six Nations squad.

After more than 12 months away from the Red Roses, she scored on her return against Italy in round one, but had to wait until the game against Scotland in Leicester to get a second shot.

Jess Breach's form in MacDonald's absence has made getting back into the side difficult, with the Saracens wing scoring four tries in last year's Six Nations.

A brilliant take in the air and some nifty footwork helped MacDonald break through the Scotland defence early in the game, but her final pass failed to find full-back Ellie Kildunne.

However, her electric start continued throughout the game as she again showed her balanced running to slice through and this time round the final defender for England's fourth try.

The Exeter Chief, who can also play at scrum-half, then grabbed another try in the second half, showing her punchy and deceptively quick running style to race clear down the left wing.

Having said she had to "learn to trust her body again", MacDonald is back in the form that saw her start England's World Cup semi-final win over Canada in 2022.

"Coming back from a double neck injury is all about whether you are going to be brave," former England captain Katy Daley-McLean told the BBC.

"Can you still be brave and play in that same way? For me Claudia doesn't look like she has been away.

"She looks fitter and stronger and really powerful. We know she is a balanced runner but she had some smart touches off the ball as well."

MacDonald only started playing rugby at Durham University as a 19-year-old, before a rapid rise in the sport saw her capped in 2018 by the age of 22.

Following the World Cup final defeat by New Zealand, where the Exeter Chiefs utility back came off the bench, it seemed natural that MacDonald would cement a spot in the Red Roses' starting back three.

Breach is yet to score this Six Nations after only returning in February from a hip injury sustained in November.

Gloucester-Hartpury's Mia Venner arguably is the quickest out of the trio and is also back in the selection mix after an impressive try-scoring return to international rugby against Italy.

"The thing that has changed MacDonald's game is her handling and comfort under the high ball," former England fly-half Daley-McLean told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly.

"She looks born to do that now and she hasn't always had that.

"The balance to her game now puts a bit of pressure on John Mitchell as Jess Breach has come back in decent form from a long-term injury, and you can't leave Abby Dow out.

"You have two wingers then fighting for the one spot."

Mitchell has heavily rotated his squad throughout the Six Nations to build "two teams" before a home World Cup that starts in August.

Mitchell might not have been planning to start MacDonald in the Grand Slam-decider when pencilling in his best team at the start of the tournament, but the New Zealander acknowledged he has a few tough calls to make this week.

"There are plenty of headaches for me, it's a great side to select," Mitchell told the BBC.

"I have to sit down at home and make a few cups of tea and go through the spreadsheet to pick the side. We have two or three areas of selection I really have to think about."

When Mitchell is having his cup of tea and moving names around on his spreadsheet next week, MacDonald might be moved from a versatile squad option to a genuine starter, which was unthinkable not long ago.