Wales' Alisha Butchers 'trained the house down' for Bristol return
- Published
Alisha Butchers was injured in Wales' opening World Cup pool game against Scotland last year
When Wales flanker Alisha Butchers suffered a serious knee injury in the opening game of the 2022 Rugby World Cup her season looked certain to be over.
But then Butchers is no ordinary player.
After nine months of intensive rehabilitation, she ran out for Bristol Bears last weekend and helped them reach the Premier 15s play-offs for a second successive season.
They will take on another side brimming with Welsh talent in Gloucester-Hartpury on Saturday, and victory would not only secure Bristol's place in their first ever final, but would be an early birthday present for Butchers who turns 26 next week.
"I've been really lucky here at Bristol that Dave Ward [head coach] really backs me as a player and supports me," she told BBC Sport Wales.
"When I first got injured, he drove down to Cross Hands before my surgery and met me for a coffee.
"We sat there and joked 'you'll be back for the semi-final' and all the physios said 'no it's going to be way too soon' and then in training last week he pulled me aside and reminded me, I don't think we were joking really."
Ward is very aware of the trauma of injury having experienced his fair share during a 17-year playing career.
"Because I knew her personality and I knew how determined she was I never wrote it off [that she would return]," Ward said.
"She's trained the house down, earned her spot and we're excited to see her involved at the weekend."
'Knew straight away'
Knee injuries have become commonplace within women's sport, even more so within Welsh rugby with several internationals currently recovering from long-term ligament damage.
Butchers tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and partially tore her meniscus and medial collateral ligament (MCL) in Wales' World Cup game against Scotland last October.
Having already scored one try, her injury came after a trademark break and with the line beckoning, her brilliance turned to agony as her knees bent unnaturally.
"I knew straight away," Butchers said.
"You always have a bit of hope but even after the game and going into my scan I knew that my World Cup was going to be over there."
An early end in New Zealand was "disappointing" in Butchers' words, but compared to previous years her road to recovery has been much smoother.
In 2021, insurance issues meant she needed to fundraise to help pay for ankle surgery.
But she admits the level of support she has received this time, proves "how far the game has come".
"In comparison to last time, the support I've had from the WRU [Welsh Rugby Union], Bristol, all my employers has been second to none and it's credit to them that I've been able to come back so quickly," Butchers said.
"Professionalism has made a huge difference, not only no longer having to crowdfund or the speed I was put into surgery but also the performances that we are able to put out there.
"It's just worlds apart, it just shows that when investment is made into the women's game how far we can go."
Six Nations water girl
Butchers signed another full-time contract with the WRU at the start of the year, but her role in Wales' successful Six Nations was less familiar.
She could often be seen bringing on the water or helping with tackle bags in training, an experience she found enlightening.
"I had a different role in the Six Nations being H20 and water girl and running messages on as well," she said.
"I felt really lucky that I had that opportunity because not a lot of people get to do that, and I learnt a lot of different things in terms of tactics.
"I actually enjoyed the experience, even though I'd have loved to be playing, it was the best out of a bad situation."
With Butchers side-lined, Wales' back row put in a string of impressive performances. In her own words, Wales' strength-in-depth in that position is now "incredible".
"We've got some unreal world-class players so it's going to be a really difficult challenge for me to get back into the team and try and get a starting jersey back for Wales but I'm excited for the challenge," said Butchers, who has 39 caps.
Bethan Lewis says she is looking forward to doing battle with her Wales team mate Alisha Butchers
Premiership play-offs
On Saturday, Bristol Bears travel to Gloucester-Hartpury in the semi-finals of the Premier 15s, with Butchers likely to face off against one of her Wales teammates in Bethan Lewis, something she sees as a friendship more than a rivalry.
"I'm really lucky to have a friend like Beth, she's supported me so much over the last eight, nine months with my injury and during the Six Nations she's my roomy (roommate)," Butchers said.
"We love playing against each other but we also love playing with each other, although there will be rivalry on the weekend it'll all be love after the game."
That game sees Bristol attempt to become the first side to win an away play-off semi-final since the single leg play-off format was introduced in the 2018-19 season.
"We quite like being the underdogs, all the pressure is on Gloucester this weekend and we're really looking forward to it," Butchers said.
"We're really confident we can go there and even though we're in fourth place, go and win an away semi-final and make history."