'It feels like the cherry on top for me': Maxwell determined to enjoy final game

Jenny Maxwell says playing for the Barbarians next weekend will be the perfect “cherry on top” of her stellar rugby career and she cannot wait to pull the boots back on one last time.

The Barbarians men have been known for years as a team that play with flair and, since its formation in 2017, the Barbarians women’s team has done the same.

On Saturday 27 June, the men will take on Wales at 2pm at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, in West London with the women taking on their Welsh counterparts at 5pm in a hotly anticipated double header.

And Maxwell, the 33-year-old scrum-half who earned 40 caps for Scotland between 2015 and 2022 and would likely have earned many more were it not for two serious knee injuries, is in the women’s squad along with fellow Scots Christine Belisle, Sarah Bonar and Caity Mattinson.

This year’s Scottish contingent follow in the footsteps of Rhona Lloyd, Helen Nelson, Sarah Law, Megan Gaffney, Lauren Harries, Annabel Sergeant, Tracey Balmer and Susie Brown in representing the Barbarians, as well as Donna Kennedy who previously coached the select side.

When Maxwell retired officially from Leicester Tigers and Scotland action in March and played her last match in Premiership Women’s Rugby against Exeter Chiefs, she and the rest of us thought her playing days at the top level were done.

However, she now has one last outing to come as part of this star-studded Barbarians group. And she cannot wait.

“I didn’t expect the call up at all, it came out of the blue,” Maxwell said.

“When I hung the boots up at the end of March after my last game for Leicester I thought that would be that.

“Clearly my boots were hanging on for dear life and wanted one last run out though because [Barbarians women’s lead] Fi Stockley reached out to me and when I got the phone call to ask me to get involved in this match I couldn’t stop smiling really, it is a great honour.

“It feels like the cherry on top for me and my rugby career and a lovely way to go out on a high.

“Time has flown since I have stopped playing for Leicester, I had a trip to Thailand for a friend’s wedding which was amazing and then I have been busy getting to grips with my new role with the RPA [Rugby Players Association].

“Since the Barbarians call came, I have been keeping my fitness levels up as much as I can though and next week it’ll be so fun being back in a rugby squad environment with some familiar faces and some new ones.

“I cannot wait to link up with everyone on Monday and start building towards the game and it’ll be really nice to be back alongside my former Scotland team mates CB, Sarah and Caity again.”

As well as the four Scots in the Barbarians squad that is going to be coached by the highly respected duo of Susie Appleby and Sarah Hunter, there are players from England, Spain, America, Wales, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in the group and it will be great to see them coming together and playing.

When players turn out for the Barbarians they get to wear their own socks.

Maxwell, whose father’s Annan links allowed her to represent Scotland and Scotland Sevens, has represented a number of teams over the years since she first played the game from around aged six at her local club at her local club Leicester Forest.

Nottingham Paviors, Leeds Beckett University, Lichfield and Loughborough Lightning all played a part in shaping her rugby journey, but she is set to wear one Leicester Tigers sock and one Scotland sock.

There is likely to be a healthy crowd at the Allianz Stadium in eight days’ time and Maxwell was thrilled to see Scotland play in front of a record 30,498 at Scottish Gas Murrayfield when they took on England in the recent Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

“What an occasion and what a moment for Scottish women’s rugby,” Maxwell stated.

“I know having spoken to a few of them since that it was really, really special day for the girls out there on the pitch despite the result [eventual Grand Slammers England winning 84-7].

“If you had said to me just a few years ago that a crowd of that size would be at any women’s rugby game let alone a Scotland one I probably wouldn’t have believed you, but it just shows the growth of the game.

“Other things show the growth of the game too like next year’s first women’s British & Irish Lions tour and having this Barbarians team playing big fixtures.

“I am sure there will be a good atmosphere for next weekend’s game and I can’t wait to feel the buzz of playing in a big stadium again.”

As mentioned, Maxwell is now working for the Rugby Players Association and her job title is central player support manager.

Her post strengthens the RPA’s commitment to the growth and wellbeing of female players across elite rugby.

She is playing a role in providing welfare, education and career transition support to women’s players while also contributing to the development and delivery of key player programmes.

Scotland cap number 188 Maxwell concluded: “I’m energised for this role, especially at such a pivotal time for the women’s game.

“I’ve been in the job three months and have spent the last four weeks or so getting around all of the PWR clubs.

“I have been on the road a fair bit, but it has been great getting in front of players, meeting with them face-to-face and really explaining to them what we do and how we aim to help them.

“Having been on the go as a rugby player for a number of years, I have also been getting used to working from home on other days and that side of the job and I think I am really going to enjoy it all.

“For now though it’ll be nice to dip my toe back into the changing room environment next week and then just really enjoy the experience with the Barbarians next weekend before the boots really do get hung up for good!”