Going for a Grand Slam with England is a dream for many rugby players. For Alex Matthews, it is mostly just confusing.
The England flanker, who is part of the side facing Italy on Sunday, expected to be looking back fondly on her first Olympics by now. But like so many others in 2020, she has had to adapt.
Even though Matthews is grateful to be able to continue playing for her country, she admits to feeling “a little bit lost”.
“I’ve been pretty anxious, even day-to-day tasks become quite overwhelming at the moment.
“I feel like I don’t know where I am because half the week I’m with Worcester, half the week I’m in an England camp, then you’ve still got sevens at the back of your mind wondering if that is ever going to happen. “I do feel all over the place but you’ve just got to take the opportunities that come up and that’s what I’m doing here. You control what you can control,” said Matthews.
Matthews has been welcomed back into the England 15s side, which won the Six Nations with a game to spare thanks to Scotland’s draw against France on Sunday and for whom she already has 37 caps.
She has fought her way to a spot in the squad for the Italy game in an extremely competitive back row.
England’s men’s and women’s sevens sides are crowdfunding in an attempt to keep their Olympic dream alive for the postponed Games, but the forward could now be in line to compete at next year’s 15-a-side World Cup too. (bbcsport)