How Rosie Galligan defied huge odds to earn England recall three years after last cap

When she started vomiting and lost the ability to walk, Rosie Galligan had bigger concerns than whether she would play rugby for England again.

She was rushed to hospital, diagnosed with meningitis and for 10 days battled what can be a life-threatening infection alone in a room.

Seven weeks later Galligan was back playing sport only to fall in a line-out, rupture three ligaments, fracture a bone in her leg and shatter her ankle.

Once again her most pressing concern was not adding to the first cap she won off the bench against Ireland in 2019.

Yet she never gave up on that dream and today, more than three years later, the Harlequins second row starts for her country as England launch their Six Nations title defence away to Scotland.

“Helluva story,” said team boss Simon Middleton. “She’s come back in with an attitude of ‘I’ve got a chance, I’m going to take it’. She’s done unbelievably well.”

Unlike the men’s game England are the dominant force in women’s rugby, ranked number one in the world, 18-match winning streak, favourites for a third successive title.

They stuck 99 points on world champions New Zealand in two matches in the autumn and right now only France seem capable of giving them a game.

For Galligan, 23, to have forced her way back into that company after so long out speaks volumes for her.

“A lot of people said I wouldn’t step back on a rugby pitch or play sport because of how severe my ankle was,” she said. “That only makes it sweeter.”

Surgeons used four pins, a scaffold and a plate to rebuild her ankle. The rest was down to her.

“Rosie has an incredible attitude,” said older brother Henry, inspired by his sister to embark on a year’s worth of challenges to raise funds for Meningitis Now.

“She went from