Incredible comeback for Leeds Rhinos star who feared she might never play again

Rhinos’ 46-4 Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup win against Leigh Leopards last week, in their opening game of the season, was Lacey’s first rugby since the autumn of 2022, when she suffered a badly broken leg in Leeds’ Super League Grand Final win against York Valkyrie. Having also missed the whole 2021 campaign through a separate injury, the 25-year-old Leeds-born forward admitted: “It was really good to finally get back out there.”

Lacey is set to continue her comeback in Saturday’s second Cup group game, at Sheffield Eagles (12.30pm) and she reflected: “It has been two and a half years and, if I am being completely honest, I have questioned it a few times, as to whether I physically would be able to make it back or if the doctor was going to say it’s not an option.

“Having my leg re-broken wasn’t in the plan. It didn’t heal and having to have that, we didn’t know what was going to happen - if I was going to be able to run and things like that. I got through last week unscathed, a couple of bruises and a sore body, but injury-free and my leg held up, which was a real positive. I am just hoping to get some good minutes in these early stages of the season and build from there.”

Having come through the ranks at the Stanningley community club, Lacey played in Leeds’ first game, in 2018 and is a development coach for Rhinos’ foundation. With Challenge Cup and Grand Final-winning honours to her name, she is one of the most experienced players at the club, but conceded her first game back was as much a mental challenge as a physical one.

“I was really nervous,” she admitted. “I had conversations with the staff around getting my hands on the ball and making a tackle early on and once I got a feel for the game, my confidence definitely grew.”

Rhinos are in a rebuilding phase and Lacey has come back into a very different team, missing a host of experienced players who have retired or moved elsewhere, but with some home-grown youngsters beginning to make their mark. While it may take them a while to adjust to the step up from academy level, Lacey reckons Leeds’ next generation have a bright future.

“I can’t even begin to express how talented the players we’ve got at the minute are,” she said. “A big chunk of our players have come through our academy system and we put a massive amount of pride on that.

“The girls who are coming through are young, but very talented. I don’t quite know what we’ll do this year, but we’ve got a really good group. The training and everything is really positive, so I am excited to see what we can do with a young, talented squad.”