Rachel McLachlan

McLachlan played for West of Scotland FC before making the move to Stirling County in 2018.{{Cite web|last=|title=GCU plays part in student going from judo champion to rugby internationalist|url=https://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/news/studentnewsrugbyrachel/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=GCU|language=en}}

Her first club was the Glasgow Caledonian University Women's team, with whom she played for two seasons, while also playing for West Of Scotland Rugby Club.{{Cite web|last=|title=International Women's Day – Scottish rugby star encourages others to give sport a try|url=https://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/news/studentnewsrachelmclachlaniwd/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=GCU|language=en}} This was followed by a season with Stirling County and a move to Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Club (DMP Sharks) in September 2019.{{Cite web|title=StackPath|url=https://www.mowdenpark.com/news/scotland-forward-duo-sign-for-sharks-2445217.html|access-date=2021-05-05|website=www.mowdenpark.com}}

She has consistently played Openside Flanker for these clubs, as well as for the Scottish Women's team.

McLachlan received her first cap for Scotland in the 7s in Paris against Poland and Russia, running on pitch at sixty minutes.{{Cite web|title=Scotland Women 7s Grand Prix Series - Report and Reaction|url=http://www.scottishrugby.org/news/scotland-women-7s-grand-prix-series-report-and-reaction|access-date=2021-05-05|website=Scottish Rugby Union|language=en}} This was nine months after trying the game for the first time with Glasgow Caledonian University. She was selected for the PDP [Performance Development Programme] with Scottish Rugby to support her progress and holds 3 caps for the 7s.{{Cite web|title=Rachel McLachlan earns Scotland start after trading judo for rugby|url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/rachel-mclachlan-earns-scotland-start-after-trading-judo-rugby-202208|access-date=2021-05-05|website=www.scotsman.com|language=en}}

Her first XVs cap came in 2018 against Italy away, where she came off the bench.{{Cite web|title=Rachel McLachlan|url=http://www.scottishrugby.org/squads/scotland-women/rachel-mclachlan|access-date=2021-05-05|website=Scottish Rugby Union|language=en}} Four weeks later, when Scotland played Canada at Scotstoun Stadium, McLachlan was in the starting XV.{{Cite web|last=Bathgate|first=Stuart|date=2018-11-26|title=Scotland v Canada: Jade Konkel returns, Rachel McLachlan gets first start|url=https://www.theoffsideline.com/scotland-canada-jade-konkel-rachel-mclachlan/|access-date=2021-04-27|website=The Offside Line|language=en-GB}} Coach Shade Munro said of the decision to start her on the pitch in the match, just a year after she had started playing the sport, "She's an out-and-out natural 7. She's aggressive, she's dynamic, she's fit. She doesn't know the game that well, but she definitely deserves the opportunity to start."{{Cite web|last=Bathgate|first=Stuart|date=2018-11-26|title=Scotland v Canada: Jade Konkel returns, Rachel McLachlan gets first start|url=https://www.theoffsideline.com/scotland-canada-jade-konkel-rachel-mclachlan/|access-date=2021-04-27|website=The Offside Line|language=en-GB}}

Part of the squad for the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship, Scotland captain, Rachel Malcolm, said of her teammate McLachlan, "She's still so young and I would describe her as a bit of a terrier, very annoying to play against and always at 100 percent in training and in matches. She is someone who plays with her heart on her sleeve and gives it absolutely everything while she's on that pitch."{{Cite web|title=The incredible tackler, the terrier and the organiser with a great rugby brain: Three to watch for Scotland – GH Media|url=https://gh-media.co.uk/blog/the-incredible-tackler-the-terrier-and-the-organiser-three-to-watch-for-scotland/|access-date=2021-04-27|language=en-GB}} The team lost to England and Italy, before beating Wales 27–20 to claim fifth place in the championship.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-03|title=England vs Scotland player ratings from Women's Six Nations opener|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/six-nations/england-vs-scotland-player-ratings-b1826427.html|access-date=2021-04-27|website=The Independent|language=en}}

She was named in Scotland's squad for the 2025 Six Nations Championship.{{Cite web |last=Gould |first=Caitlin |date=19 February 2025 |title=Scotland squad announced for 2025 Guinness Women's Six Nations |url=https://scottishrugby.org/scotland-squad-announced-for-2025-guinness-womens-six-nations/ |access-date=19 March 2025 |website=Scottish Rugby}}{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Martyn |date=2025-02-19 |title=Nine uncapped players in Scotland's Women's Six Nations squad |url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/nine-uncapped-players-in-scotlands-womens-six-nations-squad/ |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=www.rugbypass.com |language=en}}

Born and raised in Edinburgh, McLachlan attended South Morningside Primary School and Boroughmuir High School, before studying physiotherapy at Glasgow Caledonian University. She began playing rugby at 18, when she started at Glasgow Caledonian University.{{Cite web|title=Rachel McLachlan earns Scotland start after trading judo for rugby|url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/rachel-mclachlan-earns-scotland-start-after-trading-judo-rugby-202208|access-date=2021-05-05|website=www.scotsman.com|language=en}}

A former Scottish Judo Champion and Sainsbury's School games Judo Champion, having done the sport since she was seven, practising alongside Olympic silver medallist Gemma Gibbons.{{Cite web|last=|title=GCU plays part in student going from judo champion to rugby internationalist|url=https://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/news/studentnewsrugbyrachel/|access-date=2021-04-27|website=GCU|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=November 2018|first=Gary Heatly Tuesday 27|title=Judo has been a big help in my rugby development - McLachlan|url=http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/judo-has-been-a-big-help-in-my-rugby-development-mclachlan/21707.htm|access-date=2021-04-27|website=Talking Rugby Union}} During this time, she trained with the national judo squad at Ratho. She sees the crossover between the two sports with the physical contact and fast strategic decisions involved and believes her background in the sport helped her progress rapidly with rugby. It was the team aspect of rugby that attracted her when she switched her loyalties between the two sports.{{Citation|title=Rachel McLachlan on her first Scotland cap|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk_55ZW37KA|language=en|access-date=2021-04-27}} She commented on the comparisons between the two sports, "Rugby is similar [to judo] – you are given short bursts of energy in breakdowns – although the 80 minutes was difficult at first. But I think I've got round that now."{{Cite web|last=Bathgate|first=Stuart|date=2018-11-26|title=Scotland v Canada: Jade Konkel returns, Rachel McLachlan gets first start|url=https://www.theoffsideline.com/scotland-canada-jade-konkel-rachel-mclachlan/|access-date=2021-04-27|website=The Offside Line|language=en-GB}}

She has commented on the changing nature of the game, which is increasingly attracting female players and believes it is "One of the most inclusive sports out there."{{Cite web|last=|title=International Women's Day – Scottish rugby star encourages others to give sport a try|url=https://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/news/studentnewsrachelmclachlaniwd/|access-date=2021-04-27|website=GCU|language=en}}

• Under 21 Scottish Judo Champion 2017{{Cite web|title=JudoInside - Rachel McLachlan Judoka|url=https://www.judoinside.com/judoka/94018/Rachel_McLachlan/judo-results|access-date=2021-05-05|website=www.judoinside.com}}
• Sainsbury's School Games Judo Champion 2015
• Friends of Scottish Rugby Trophy Winner 2019{{Cite web|title=Trophy Winners|url=https://www.f-s-r.org/content/pages/trophies.html|access-date=2021-05-05|website=www.f-s-r.org}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.scottishrugby.org/squads/scotland-women/rachel-mclachlan Rachel McLachlan Scottish Rugby Profile Page]
• [https://www.judoinside.com/judoka/94018/Rachel_McLachlan/judo-career Rachel Mclachlan Judo Inside Profile]

{{Scotland Women's squad 2021 Rugby World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McLachlan, Rachel}}

Category:1999 births

Category:Living people

Category:Rugby union players from Edinburgh

Category:Scotland women's international rugby union players

Category:Scottish female rugby union players

Category:Rugby union flankers

Category:Rugby sevens players at the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Category:Darlington Mowden Park Sharks players

Category:Alumni of Glasgow Caledonian University

Category:Scottish female judoka

Category:People educated at Boroughmuir High School

Category:Commonwealth Games rugby sevens players for Scotland

Category:Scotland international women's rugby sevens players

Category:Sale Sharks Women players

Category:21st-century Scottish sportswomen