Sarah McKenna Interview

Centre Sarah McKenna explained that she is proud of the effort shown by the whole squad during the first block of PWR fixtures, as she reflected on a tough opening period of games.

With four wins out of five heading into the first rest week of the season, the Saracens stalwart praised the “togetherness and toughness” shown by the team since the start of the campaign.

“Starting a season without internationals can be hard, but it highlighted the depth we have in our squad and our ability to come together as one, no matter who is wearing the Saracens shirt, and put on a composed performance.”

“We spent a lot of pre-season focusing on ourselves and how we pull together in games, and I think that has paid off so far. The reaction to going two scores down against Gloucester-Hartpury was a prime example of that. I don’t think we would’ve reacted as well as a group if that had happened last campaign.”

Having competed against top opposition across the opening five rounds, McKenna explained how, despite turmoil and changes each week, the team has managed to stick to their DNA.

“We’ve come up against some incredibly strong teams in these opening rounds. This last week has given us time to reflect on those games.

Each game had its own unique challenges, but I think we have managed to keep our focus internal, especially this early in the season. We are keen to try new things and embrace whatever opposition throws at us.

 We’ve obviously had key personnel missing across most fixtures, so on paper the match-day team has looked different, but we’ve managed to stay consistent, which is a credit to the squad as a whole.”

The absence of several international players did allow for debuts for many young Saracens. McKenna believes that the impressive performances of the wider squad were no coincidence.

“It’s something that the club has been working really hard on. Through partnerships with other clubs and our pathway, these players have been able to earn their chance and have put on some great performances.”

McKenna herself has had an increasing role in the Saracens pathway, having started coaching at Oaklands College.

“It’s shown me first-hand that the future is very bright. The area that we’re in is blessed with a lot of local talent within our community clubs. It’s exciting to see home-grown talent, who have potentially supported Saracens from a young age, have the opportunity to go on and play for them.”

On a wider scale, McKenna also praised the development of age-grade women’s rugby across the country, something which she thinks could be a catalyst for the rapid growth of the game in years to come.

“I think the facilities and structural pathways available now are really exciting for any young player. The hard work that was put in years ago is starting to show now, with players like Amelia MacDougall, Daisy Fitzgerald, and Chloe Flanagan proving successes of our pathway system.

For younger players to be able to see players who have graduated through that pathway is brilliant, as it proves this is a system that works and will hopefully continue to grow.”

With the Duel now on the horizon, McKenna is no stranger to the challenges Harlequins will pose and is excited to face them in this clash.

“I think this match-up comes at an exciting time for us. We’ll be keen to put on a show and start this second block of fixtures on the right note."