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Why Trailfinders was the right fit for McGhie and vice versa
Trailfinders have only competed in two Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) seasons but they have been hugely competitive so far and a thorn in the side of the top clubs.
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In their debut season they finished sixth with five wins from 16 games. Despite dropping to seventh in the 2024/25 season, they registered the same amount of wins and picked up more points – finishing with seven more than the previous campaign courtesy of more bonus points.
In the 2024/25 season they beat the likes of Bristol Bears and ran eventual champions Gloucester-Hartpury close in a 33-31 result. These performances have caught the attention of some of the biggest names in the game. The latest to sign and cite the ambition and competitiveness at Trailfinders as their reason for joining is world class winger and Scotland star Francesca McGhie.
As player signings are coming left, right and centre as we approach the Rugby World Cup, McGhie, who has played for Leicester Tigers for the past two seasons, said while there are many quality sides in the PWR, Trailfinders was always the club at the top of her list.
“They made their ambitions really clear,” said McGhie. “They are a competitive team even with being one of the new teams in the league, and that really sparked my interest.
“They’re an exciting team to play against and to add to that, the facilities and the current players allow for a competitive and developing environment.”
Many Scotland players like Chloe Rollie already play for the club and McGhie says her international teammates’ praise of the side only added to her intrigue.
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She said: “After the Scots had moved down to Trailfinders, they all spoke very highly of it. The girls enjoyed the environment and the competitiveness, and hearing how much they enjoyed it, and (how much they) felt it helped their growth got me interested.”
McGhie has not always played in the PWR after starting her career at Scottish club Watsonians, whom she played for from 2019-2023 before joining Leicester. She also competed for the Thistles in the Celtic Challenge.
But after deciding she would leave Leicester she wanted to remain in the PWR because some of the best players in the world compete in England’s top-tier and to “be the best, you have to play against and with the best”.
The star, who also praised Leicester’s environment for aiding her game, said: “Without a doubt the PWR has made me a better player. Being in a professional environment, learning from teammates and coaches, and playing against some of the top players in the world has really allowed my rugby to develop.
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“Not just skill, but game knowledge and off pitch developments too.”
McGhie’s move to Trailfinders also came just over two months before the Rugby World Cup gets underway. McGhie is likely to be a part of Scotland’s squad at the tournament with the team set to play Wales, Fiji and Canada in the pool stage. The competition starts on 22 August and is being hosted in England.
The 22-year-old wanted to ensure her club news was sewn up before the Rugby World Cup began. Scotland have already had players in camp to begin their preparation.
McGhie added: “With it being such an intense rugby year, it was great to sign for Trailfinders ahead of the World Cup. It’s going to be an incredible year for women’s rugby.”
McGhie’s signature is just one of several impressive bits of business Trailfinders have done so far in this off season. England’s Meg Jones and Canada’s Claire Gallagher have signed for the club and Trailfinders have also extended the deals of players like Abi Burton, Caity Mattinson and Lisa Thomson.
There are also rumours the side are going to sign more international stars. With new players joining the group, the dynamics of a team can change but head coach Barney Maddison believes as long as they have the right people, the right culture will follow.
He said: “Culture is a word that gets thrown around in rugby a lot – I’m a big believer in wanting good rugby players within your squad, but just as importantly good people. If you have good people, organically, good relationships build and therefore teammates want to work harder for each other and help each other out. In my opinion, a natural by-product of that is a good culture.”
The boss also heaped praise on his new winger, which will also add competition to the team with the likes of Abby Dow and Liz Musgrove already wing options for the club.
“Francesca’s ability with the ball in hand is outstanding,” Maddison added. “She’s a natural threat – there is no comparison for out and out pace. She is also an outstanding person with a very level head on her shoulders.”
The level of signings Trailfinders are bringing in means there is no doubt they will be ones to watch in the 2025/26 PWR season which begins in October.