The ballerina who became Scotland’s World Cup hero

When Francesca McGhie made her debut for Scotland in 2023, she claimed she “didn’t really know how to play rugby.”

The 22-year-old winger’s impressive Women’s Rugby World Cup debut is fairly new, and it’s fair to say that he’s getting used to it fairly quickly.

Scotland wiped out Wales in Pool B, with games against Fiji and Canada afoot, with a fantastic hat-trick of tries from McGhie.

When Fiji defeats the lowest-placed team in their group on Saturday, they almost certainly will advance to the knockout stages.

McGhie stole the show in the middle of arguably Scotland’s best performance in a long time.

McGhie’s first love wasn’t rugby union.

She had a passion for dancing, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland accepted her as a student due to her talent in ballet and contemporary dance.

That quick footwork would be beneficial to her ultimate calling as a rugby player, but it wasn’t until 2018 that she began playing as a 15-year-old that she would start.

She helped the Watsonians win the 2023 Premiership by joining the following year.

In the same year, she announced herself in the Test room with a stunning solo try in a victory over Ireland, which earned her the award for World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year.

McGhie has demonstrated her ability to handle significant situations.

In the Six Nations this year, she scored the final try against Ireland, and her hat-trick against Wales increased her total try-scoring record to 13 in 23 games.

After Saturday’s victory, Scotland head coach Bryan Easson declared to BBC Scotland, “What a finisher!”

I told her this morning that there would be a few scores, but I told her at half-time, “Come on, that’s not enough.”

“I believe she made a mark on this event, she made a mark on the world stage, and I’m eager to see what she has in store for us.”

Evie Gallagher calls her “ridiculous.” Since her first Six Nations appearance, Francesca seems to have been developing.

I’m just so excited to see what she brings to the next few games because she’s something worth talking about because she put out performance after performance then.

Emma Orr: “She’s just amazing. She does a great job for me. I believe she has suffered a few injuries in the pre-season, but I’m so, so happy to see her in action and record a hat-trick in the opening game.

That’s the key to a successful relationship in the center: they fix their defense and squander the available space for Fran. She is adoring it whole.

Siwan Lillicrap, a former Wales lock, said on BBC One, “She’s been outstanding, hasn’t she?” McGhie is a top-notch finisher.

With such great pressure on it, no player can score a hat-trick in the opening match of the World Cup.

“I’ve always enjoyed McGhie a lot. She also provides opportunities for both finishing and finishing.