Mackenzie Carson: first player to represent England under new rugby rules

Mackenzie Carson shows off her passion for the Red Rose. Photo: Getty Images/Steve Bardens

Mackenzie Carson received a phone call this year that changed the course of her rugby career. The Women's Six Nations tournament got underway and England were desperately short of props, so the then Saracens front row was parachuted into the team.

“Suddenly the timing was right for it, and then it was a bit of a props crisis, and it became pretty full-time from there,” says Canadian-born Carson, reflecting on the whirlwind year. “At the moment I’m about 60. I’m aging like a dog.”

Carson's height was unusual. Five years ago, she took to the pitch at Castle Park in Doncaster to make her debut for Canada against England and played two more caps before opportunities dried up.

Qualifying through her mother, she later became the first player to represent England — men or women — under World Rugby's birthright rule, which allows players to change countries if they have spent at least three years away from international rugby.

However, Carson's career was close to taking a completely different direction just months before the British came knocking.

Ahead of last year's World Cup, she received another unexpected call, this time from the Canadian forwards coach. She suffered an injury in camp and was asked if she wanted to redshirt again for the tournament in New Zealand.

Returning to Canada 'didn't work out for me'

“I gave up,” says Carson, who grew up in Abbotsford, a city in British Columbia on Canada's west coast. “Not because I didn’t want to go to the World Cup, but because if I want to go to the World Cup, I want to be part of the training group. If someone says to you, “Do you want to go to the World Cup this week?”, it’s quite difficult to say no. But at that moment I didn’t think it was the right time in my life.”

Her heart was already set on securing a full-time contract, an ambition she had nurtured since moving to England. in 2019. After a series of outstanding performances at the Six Nations, her dream became a reality.

Carson can now call herself a full-fledged athlete after being awarded one of the improved contracts offered by the Rugby Football Union this summer. Due to the growing value of women's sport, she earns more playing rugby full-time than in her previous job as a charity worker for an organization that aims to improve the lives of adults through physical activity.

“When Charlie called me [Hayter, head of women's rugby at the RFU], I thought, «This is happening!» I never expected him to say, “Do you want to make this a full-time job?” This is a special opportunity. A lot of people are willing to die for this.”

Canada will always be part of her identity. “I miss the lifestyle. “I miss Tim Hortons—it’s like Canada’s version of Starbucks and a staple of Canadian culture,” she says wistfully.

Carson is living his dream as a full-fledged athlete for England. Photo: Paul Grover for the Telegraph

However, she is looking forward to starting a new chapter this season at Gloucester-Hartpury, where she will continue to hone her skills as a wildcat prop after completing her transition from hooker in January.

Her international career will come full circle this week after she was selected to face Canada in the first of two friendlies before England travel to New Zealand to take part in the WXV, a global competition that starts next month.

In an event designed to attract more countries to Test rugby, the Red Roses will play a rematch against New Zealand in Auckland on November 4, less than a year after they suffered heartbreak in the World Cup final at Eden Park.

“They” you do the same job using half the resources'

As one of the newest members of the Red Roses team, Carson carries no psychological scars from the match, having watched it while traveling to Canada to visit family. “It's not something we necessarily focus on, but it's definitely a huge motivation for a lot of girls,” she says. “I think I feel the weight of it. We all play rugby because we love winning in a team environment.”

So how will she feel going against her former peers? Canada's heroic semi-final showdown against England at last year's tournament belied their status as a semi-pro team. “I have the utmost respect for them,” Carson says. “If there's a team that's struggling, it's the Canadian girls.

“They do the same job we do with half the resources and half the support. To continue to do that and grow the game in Canada and be a role model is really hard, and then go to your day job every day. This is a completely different structure. They haven't spoken to each other for months.»

Carson's career could have taken a different path, but the chance to meet familiar faces is an opportunity she relishes.