The self-proclaimed mad giraffe on 50 caps

ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 07: Sarah Bonar 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)

“I could never have imagined earning 50 caps for my country,” Bonar admits.

“With the setbacks I’ve had through injury, there were times I doubted this moment would ever come. Until that first whistle goes, I don’t think I’ll believe it. Not many people can say they have played for their country 50 times, so I’m just unbelievably grateful to be in a position where I’m so close to doing that.”

Her story is not the typical pathway to the top.

Bonar, born in Aberdeen, grew up chasing Olympic dreams in rowing, pulling for Great Britain at junior and under-23 levels. But the sport’s loneliness weighed heavily on her.

A chance conversation with Rugby World Cup winner Danielle “Nolli” Waterman changed everything. Encouraged to try rugby while at Loughborough University, Bonar found not just a new sport but a new sense of belonging.

“I loved competing, but I hated the individuality of it. I’m an extrovert, and that spark was starting to fade”, she said.

“So after a chat with Nolli, I took on a break from rowing to see if I missed it or if I’d like rugby and I was like, ‘wow, this sport’s amazing’ and I never looked back.

“My first session at Litchfield RFC, I rocked up in a pair of trainers, and one of the girls was like “you’re going to need a pair of boots what size shoe are you?” I was like “oh I’m a size 8”, and she was like “Here you go”.

“I’ve never come across a sport where everyone is so welcoming. I think that comes from you having your teammates back on the pitch through thick and thin – I just love it. I honestly don’t think there is a team sport quite like it. There is quite literally a place for every shape and size, and everyone is valued and appreciated.”

After just a year and a half playing the sport, Bonar earned herself a call up to the national team, alongside now captain, Rachel Malcolm.

“We were definitely each other’s safety blanket back in the day”, she chuckled.

“We would turn up to camps together as really raw players being so new to the game, but we had each other. It was so nice to go through the start of our journey together and to still be here together.”

Bonar on debut against Spain in 2016.

Her Scotland debut came in 2016 against Spain, and she has since become a cornerstone of Scotland’s pack, forming a formidable second-row partnership with Emma Wassell on countless occasions.

Whilst some of her most treasured memories in a Scotland shirt might be hard to select from, undoubtedly there is one huge moments that is cemented in the minds of Scotland fans, that intercept. To use a phrase coined by Bill McLaren, she would be the first to admit that she is a ‘mad giraffe’.

Bonar’s 50th cap will be more than just a number. It will be enjoyed by her friends and family, including her brother who has travelled from Australia with his wife and son – their first time seeing her play since the Rugby World Cup played in 2022.

“It feels like I only see them at World Cups”, she laughed.

“It’s really special that they’re here and they’ve come all this way. To have him here for this moment means the world.”

For Scotland, Bonar remains a physical, intelligent presence in the engine room. For herself, she is proof that sporting journeys don’t have to follow straight lines. And now, as she prepares to step onto the pitch for the 50th time, she carries the support of her teammates, her family, and the rest of the country.