The England Pavilion Claudia McDonald says she overcame her fear of leaving the house after she recovered from a second neck injury to return to the group of red roses.
McDonald, who can also play in SCRUM-Half, was excluded from the six-year ladies countries after suffering a second neck injury in February 2024.
This was followed by the first neck injury in 2022, which made the Exer Chiefs benefit again thinking about retirement.
The 29-year-old returned to this field in the Runbi's defeat in Exter by her heroes in the end of the Gloucester-Hartpury in December 2024 and has since been called to the six-state team in England.
Speaking before the roses began to defend his title against Italy in York on Sunday, McDonald said it was “terrified” that she was near anything related to Rajabi.
“I took a treatment and the next second was on the ground unable to move my arms or legs, so it was very frightening in the first few moments,” McDonald said on Wednesday.
“In the first two months, playing was not even on the radar – it was about trying to get my mind about what happened.
“I was terrifying to be anywhere near the Rakhbi game or Rajabi's game. I didn't want to get my return away from the wall because I didn't want anything behind because I was afraid of beating.
“I barely left my house and I was told not to go in a car, so everything was very scary, but fortunately we went over all of that.”
McDonald says she had to learn to trust her body again – but she did not reunite her with her club colleagues, he mentioned her why she wanted to return to work.
