Emma Wassell’s return to playing journey has taken another positive step forward with the news that she was involved in some scrummaging practice with the Scotland squad this week.
The 67-capper spent nearly two weeks in hospital after a tumour in her chest was discovered during Scotland’s pre-season training block in August.
She then had one operation before a second, a full sternotomy, came in November.
In December she announced that her five-month battle was over and, since then, she has slowly been working her way back to things with the help of the national team medics and backroom staff.
Scotland head coach Bryan Easson said in late February that having the 30-year-old second-row back in time for the Rugby World Cup in England later in the year was “certainly a real possibility”.
She has been in and around the Scotland squad throughout the Guinness Women’s Six Nations period and, ahead of the final match with Ireland on Saturday at Hive Stadium, Easson has revealed that she took part in some scrummaging a few days ago at training.
“It was great to see on Wednesday, Emma Wassell ‘live’ scrummed in training for the first time,” Easson said.
“She took part in three scrums and while she is not quite back to mauls or anything like that yet she is ticking along really well and that is a real positive for all of us within this group.
“And I must take my hat off to her and the medical team that we have here with Scotland who have been working with her closely as her rehab steps up, they have all been exceptional.
“It has been a rehab that not many players have done before and she and the medics have done amazing work around that.
“Seeing that [Wassell involved in scrummaging practice] the other day gave us all a boost ahead of the Ireland match.”
The Guinness Women’s Six Nations runs from March 22 to April 26 and, next up at home, Scotland are at Hive Stadium in round five versus Ireland on the final day – get tickets here.
Emma Wassell is pictured
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