Lloyd’s development has a remarkable sense of symmetry. She will take to the field during the Guinness Women’s Six Nations at Hive Stadium, which has been constructed on the pitches in the grounds of the Murrayfield campus where she first played for Murrayfield Wanderers.

“This place means so much to me, this was literally where I first started rugby,” she recalls fondly. Rhona emphasises the importance of the inclusive environments that rugby provides, where players of all backgrounds can come together, learn and grow, with role models in plain sight.

“Having a huge Emma Orr and Emma Wassell there [on the side of Scottish Gas Murrayfield], a big Eva Donaldson up at the front gate; just none of that was there before. Women’s rugby was happening here, but it wasn’t promoted in the same way it was and it wasn’t that accessible, really. I definitely didn’t see any of it growing up.”

For Lloyd, rugby isn’t just about competition; it’s about community and personal development, as she explains: “Even if you’re only playing at the community game, you just have so many opportunities to learn about yourself, to grow as a person, to make friends, to travel.”

And it is this sense of community and inclusivity that drives her to push for the continual growth of the game.

“I think women’s rugby is at this incredible point and I’m so excited to see where it goes,” Lloyd declares with optimism, reflecting on the rapid progress the sport has made in recent years. Her passion for inspiring the next generation is evident: “My ‘why’ has always been to kind of inspire the next generation.”

The announcement in December 2022 that Scotland were to award professional contracts to 28 women was monumental for Rhona and her contemporaries: “It was actually huge the day that we all had a Zoom call and the information was: we’re going to go professional,” she recalls. This transition not only validates the hard work and dedication of players but also opens doors for aspiring young athletes.