There were 18 months between Scotland cap number 22 and cap number 23 for Meryl Smith, but in Cardiff on Saturday it was like she had never been away.
It was a tough time for the 24-year-old talent as she missed the whole of the PWR campaign in 2024/25, last year’s Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup last summer.
She was also absent the start of this year’s English league campaign with Bristol Bears, but played a number of games for them in the lead up to the Women’s Six Nations.
Smith suffered an ACL injury against Australia at WXV 2 in South Africa in October 2024.
As a result, the Six Nations round one match as Scotland defeated Wales 24-19 at the Principality Stadium on Saturday was her first for her country in a year and a half.
She slotted into the 12 jersey vacated by the injured Lisa Thomson seamlessly though and hr excellent kick set up sub Lucia Scott’s try in the second half.
After the game, centre Smith told the BBC: “just to be back in blue, it means the world to me.
“To be back with this team, it’s such a special group and I’ve definitely missed it. Watching from the stands and watching them do such amazing things at the World Cup was one thing, but to be back in the squad is amazing and to get the win against Wales on my return is just the cherry on top of everything.
“Wales made it so hard for us and I think we didn’t make it easy for ourselves either. We were quite sloppy at times whilst trying to integrate the new structures that Sione [Fukofuka, the new head coach] is looking for into our game, but we were just really glad to get the win at the end.
“I think that first half from our point of view wasn’t good enough. We didn’t front up as much as we should have and the Welsh came out firing and the crowd was so loud behind them and I think that really pushed them on. That’s something we need to be better at next week and hopefully playing at home with a Scottish crowd behind us it might come a bit easier.
“At half-time we just needed to reset, then in the second half we had to play our own game and stick to our game plan and I think we were much better in that second half and it got us over the line.”
Next up for Scotland is a round two game with England at Murrayfield next Saturday.
Centre Meryl Smith is pictured in action versus Wales – thanks to Scottish Rugby
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