Rachel Malcolm

Rachel Ann Malcolm is a Scottish professional rugby player for Loughborough Lightning in the Allianz Premier 15s and Scotland Women. She plays predominantly as a Openside Flanker, however is also at home across the back row. She captained Scotland for the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship, but she was forced to step down due to a knee injury in the team's opening game.

Club career
Malcolm started playing rugby in 2015 with Lichfield Ladies. Her debut followed a game of touch-rugby in Nottingham, where a player for Lichfield Ladies spotted her talent. She was selected as captain of Loughborough Lightning for the inaugural season of England's premier club competition, Premier 15s, in 2017/18 and has continued to play for the side.

International career
After making her Scotland debut as a replacement in Scotland's first Women's Rugby World Cup Qualifier against Spain at Scotstoun Stadium in November 2016, Malcolm's first start came in the 2017 Women's Six Nations opener against Ireland at Broadwood Stadium. During this game, she sustained an injury that meant that she missed the rest of the campaign. She has also started for Scotland at Hooker – on her starting debut in 2017 and against Japan at Scotstoun in the Autumn Test in November 2019.

She was part of the Scottish team that beat Ireland in March 2018, for the first time since the two teams first played each other. It was her penalty that saw them move 3–0 at half-time, with a final score of 15–12 to Scotland.

While developing as an international player, she experienced two concussions during 2018/19. She managed to play for Scotland in three Six Nations games in 2019, but picked up another concussion against Wales, missing the two last games of the championship.

Malcolm captained Scotland on-field on the national side's first ever summer tour, to South Africa, in 2019. She was then named captain ahead of the 2020 Six Nations.

She was part of the Scottish team that secured a landmark draw against France in the 2020 Women's Six Nations Championship. However the championship was disrupted by coronavirus, with Malcolm commenting on the team's desire to finish the championship, although its last matches were ultimately cancelled.

She was named as captain of the Scottish side for the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship but suffered a knee injury during the first minute of the team's defeat to England, causing her to step down for the rest of the championship.

Playing style
Malcolm is a modern back row player, known for her work-rate about the pitch on both sides of the ball. In her rugby career, she has played in a variety of positions, including hooker and back-row for Scotland.

Education
Malcolm completed her PhD in environmental physiology at Nottingham Trent University. She studied part-time while both playing rugby and lecturing at Nottingham Trent University. She also has a sports and exercise science bachelor's degree, and a master's degree in exercise physiology from Loughborough University.

Since completing her PhD, Malcolm has been working as an Applied Sport Science lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, as well as continuing her research and playing at the highest level of club and international rugby.

Other sports
Malcolm represented Scotland in hockey at U17, U18 and U21 levels.

Personal life
Malcolm's younger brother James is also a rugby player. He was signed to Seattle Seawolves for the 2021 USMLR season. He previously represented Glasgow Warriors and London Scottish. The siblings' older brother Donald Malcolm is a former Scotland U19 player and their father Walter Malcolm also played district rugby.