All Wallaroos star Arabella McKenzie wanted to do was play as much Rugby as possible. However, the young playmaker found that this comes at a cost

McKenzie has chased the game across the world, heading straight from the 2021 Rugby World Cup (played in 2022) to the UK to play for Harlequins.

The playmaker established herself as a star in Premier 15s/Premiership Women's Rugby before returning for an expanded Wallaroos calendar that included the inaugural WXV.

However, hopping between the two winters ultimately came at a cost as McKenzie wore the brunt of the non-stop schedule.

She would depart Harlequins in December for ‘personal reasons’, explaining to Rugby.com.au how it affected her ‘love’ for the game.

“I’ll just put it down to being really homesick,” she said on her sudden return to Australia.

“I hadn’t really had any time off since pre-World Cup 2022 or when COVID shut everything down. We’ve been go-go-go especially for myself so I think it’s really important to notice you’re not at your best and not feeling 100%.

“Being overseas away from my support network; my family and friends was really tough and I just wasn’t enjoying my Rugby probably since WXV.

“I didn’t love it as much so coming home and having that month or so off has really found that love again and I bounce into Waratahs every day and I look forward to putting on the training shirt.”

McKenzie concedes mental health has always been a struggle and the isolating nature of playing overseas exacerbated this. 

The 25-year-old grew up in the small country town of Lightening Ridge, finding herself thousands away from her home as she explored her Rugby dream.

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