Props are always learning throughout their rugby careers and Scotland’s Elliann Clarke believes she has learnt a lot during the condensed 2024/25 PWR campaign with Bristol Bears that will serve her well going forwards.
Clarke, the 23-year-old who began her rugby journey as a youngster at Dunfermline and went onto play for Stirling County and Edinburgh University before heading south in the summer of 2023, was buzzing at the start of this campaign.
Having been in and around the Scotland squad since 2022, she made her first start at tighthead against Fiji in the September Test at Hive Stadium and was then involved with the national team as they finished as runners-up at WXV 2 in South Africa soon after that.
As she returned to Bristol she was keen to keep things ticking along at club level, but a back issue stopped her in her tracks.
“It was frustrating,” Clarke said.
“I was keen to keep getting more minutes under my belt, but was the kind of injury that as a prop you cannot take any risks with and I am grateful to the medics at Bristol and the ones I spoke to at Scotland who helped me navigate through the time off.
“There were still certain parts of my game and fitness I could work on while I wasn’t playing while during that period I was able to really take a step back and assess where I am at in my rugby career.
“And I am proud of where I am now, when I think back to the Rugby World Cup in 2022 in New Zealand or when I moved to Bristol the next year I was still young and very much learning as a tighthead prop.
“Of course I am still learning in the position, I don’t think you ever stop learning, but I feel like as a player and as a person I have matured a lot over the last couple of years or so.
“Going away to the World Cup for me was a big thing, moving away from Scotland to test myself with Bristol was a big thing for me and earning my first international start was a big thing for me and they have all helped give me more confidence and belief in myself.”
Clarke returned to action following her lay-off post WXV 2 in time for the big away game against Exeter Chiefs on January 11.
The Bears won that one at Sandy Park 41-31 and, fast forward a few weeks and a good run of games for Clarke, and they are hosting the same opponents this coming Saturday. Clark is on the bench for this one.
They then face Harlequins away on Friday, February 14 in their final PWR regular season outing of the campaign and they still have top four play-off hopes alive.
Clarke’s return to action has coincided with USA superstar Ilona Maher joining Bristol.
“It has been crazy to see the interest that her signing has had, but for women’s rugby the more eyes on the game the better,” Clarke said.
“Ilona is a brilliant player and a really nice human and we are loving having her around the group here at the club. Sadly, she could not make it recently when the Scottish players here held an impromptu Burns celebration recently, but I sure we will get her to taste haggis sometime!
“Seriously though, her work ethic is second to none and she is just one of a number of role models we have at the Bears who I learn from every day whether that is in training or via their behaviours of the pitch and the way they carry themselves.
“As a young player being around such great people can only help me improve.”
Clarke mention the Scottish contingent at the Bears and currently she is living with fellow internationalists Meryl Smith, Emma Orr and Evie Gallagher.
Smith is currently recovering from an ACL injury and her house mates have been helping her with that while Orr has also been injured, but should be back soon.
And with the Guinness Women’s Six Nations starting on March 22 and then the Rugby World Cup in England – including a quarter-final in Bristol should Scotland get through – excitement is building.
Clarke, who has 15 caps and whose sister Rhea is playing for Edinburgh Rugby in the Celtic Challenge currently, said: “I want to be involved in as many big games for Scotland as I can in this big year, but having just got back to playing last month I a building things up game by game and just want to go from there.
“I am feeling in a good place just now both on and off the pitch so hopefully I can keep kicking on and doing my job well for Bristol and Scotland.”
Thanks to Bristol Bears for the photo of Elliann Clarke
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