‘The comeback is greater than the setback’ is a motivational phrase often seen on a sportsperson’s social media following a derailing injury.
While it was absent from Bo Westcombe-Evans’ personal channels, it perfectly reflects the full circle journey she completed on the opening night of the Premiership Women’s Rugby 2025/26 season.
Almost exactly a year previously, riding the high of becoming Red Rose #264 in the 2024 WXV 1 success in Canada, the rapid winger returned to club duty at The Stoop. Naturally, she marked the occasion with a try.
But soon afterwards, she ruptured an ACL that ended her 2024/25 season – and with it her Rugby World Cup 2025 dream.
While England prepared for their golden moment, the 23-year-old grafted away with this fixture in mind for her return to PWR action. Harlequins away, back at The Stoop.
Just 11 minutes after running onto the pitch she’d hobbled off a year previously, Westcombe-Evans was back in familiar territory, marking her return to action with a try.
“It’s amazing to be back,” she said. “It's a moment that I’ve been waiting for, for literally a year.
“It has been very tough. I’ve had a couple setbacks along the way, which made it even harder, but it makes coming out here just even better, and especially coming back to The Stoop where I ruptured my ACL and being able to walk off the pitch in one piece is great.”
The two-times capped Red Rose conceded that the fact her return to league action came at the same venue of her fledgling career’s darkest hour, was on her radar.
“I had thought about it,” she added. “But it just made me want to play here even more. I want to get that bad, negative energy out the way. I have got a new knee, I’m a new player, and I’m hopefully going to be bigger and better than I was the season that I did play.”
Westcombe-Evans would also provide the assist for Alicia Maude’s score with a neat grubber kick in behind enemy lines to create one of the 14 tries scored in a gripping encounter that ultimately saw Lightning lose 52-42.
“Obviously it’s gutting to lose,” Westcombe-Evans explained. “There was some really good play by us, especially in attack. I think we just need a bit quicker speed of ball and stronger up in defence, and just limit the handling errors. I’m sure we’ll look at that training and we’ll come back better next week.”
Sunday’s PWR Round 2 match at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens will be Westcombe-Evans first appearance at the venue since October 2024 – when she scored two of her 35 Lightning career tries in a 36-17 victory for the hosts against the same opponents this weekend; Sale Sharks,
“I absolutely cannot wait,” she said. “I feel like when we play Sale, it’s always a really tough battle. And our first home game as well, I know the girls are going to be really up for it. I am looking forward to it.”
Tickets are available for Lightning versus Sale Sharks by clicking HERE.