Lisa readying herself for life-affirming few months ahead

ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 07: Lisa Cockburn during a Scotland Women's World Cup squad announcement at the Old Course, on August 07, 2025, in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

For Lisa Cockburn, the chance to play for her country in the sport’s biggest tournament was one that, on a number of occasions, she thought was destined not to be.

Having helped Scotland get to a first such tournament in 12 years last time around, she missed out on the competition proper due to an ACL injury sustained in the 2022 Guinness Women’s Six Nations. It would keep her out of international contention for 18 months, and she would miss the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

What has happened since, culminating in being named as part of Scotland’s 32-strong group for England, has been the result of a fair deal of sacrifice, including making sure that her upcoming nuptials tie in with tournament timing.

Reflecting on the injury that kept her out, Lisa said: “It was one of the hardest experiences I’ve had to go through. Doing your ACL is challenging in itself, but not being able to go to what was a first World Cup for Scotland in 12 years, after I helped us qualify, was so hard.

“I did actually go over to support the team as I wanted to do that, even though I was devastated I couldn’t play.

“I think it was March 25 in 2022 that I did my knee and I thought about going to the World Cup every single day. This has been my ultimate goal and many of the decisions I’ve made over the past two or three years have been to try and put myself in the best position possible to earn selection for the World Cup.

“This is my dream and it has been ever since I started playing for my country.

Pictured: Lisa at Scotland’s Rugby World Cup squad announcement, 7 August, St Andrews.

“There’s a massive relief to get there and I have to give myself a little pat on the back to acknowledge how hard I’ve worked. It’s not been an easy ride by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m just so happy to be here with this group.”

Lisa returned to the Scotland fold for last year’s WXV competition but, having missed out on initial Six Nations selection earlier this year, she admits that Rugby World Cup inclusion was, to her, a bit of a stretch, as she explained: “I played WXV last year and then didn’t get selected for the Six Nations, and I genuinely though that was my World Cup dream over. Receiving the call from Bryan [Easson, head coach] to say I hadn’t been selected was hard, but I went away and worked on a lot of stuff. I was sad for a day or two but then thought about how I could get myself back into things.

“I trained for a few days during the Six Nations and then the wait for the World Cup squad was agonising! Honestly, I had no idea, I thought I wouldn’t be in but had to be ready just in case.”

Receiving news of her selection, Lisa painted quite the chaotic picture: “The first person I told was my partner, also called Lisa. I was actually at the college I work at, it was their sports awards evening, and I’d been waiting all day. I waited to put on my make-up in case I had to re-do it. I was in the queue to get food and one of the other coaches was like ‘have a look, have a look!’

“So I was refreshing my emails and then I saw one, double checked my name on the list and I was straight on the phone to Lisa: “Awards are about to start but I’m in!”

Relaxed at squad announcement day – Lisa will no doubt remain as calm when she gets married a few weeks after the Rugby World Cup!

When the Rugby World Cup is over, Gloucester-Hartpury prop Lisa has no time to rest – she is getting married in the first week of October to Lisa. A self-confessed ‘organiser’, she is taking it all in her stride, working on logistics in amongst World Cup preparations: “Like I said, my life has revolved around this World Cup so I have planned my life around it. So with planning the wedding, the rugby came first and then after it’s done, we can get married.

“I’ve got my dress fitting before we leave for the World Cup, so I’m pretty organised and I’ve got some time after the tournament is done – I’ll stress about that at the time!

“Life is pretty good reflecting on things right now. I hope to perform on the pitch, which is a possibility, and then getting married to my partner who I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with.”

As far as years go, 2025 will be chalked up as one of Lisa Cockburn’s most treasured, with a strong Scotland showing at the World Cup the potential cherry atop her wedding cake.