I cannot wait for the Rugby World Cup to get underway, I was so happy to get back into the international mix against Italy a few weeks ago. It wasn't the result we wanted, but we were mostly disappointed with the way we started rather than the overall scoreline itself.
Warm-up games are tricky because they're great for trying new combinations and new ideas, and there is no replacement for experiencing the pressure of match situations, but I still don't think you can take too much from the results themselves due to the fact neither team is hoping to peak in that moment - the plan is to peak at the tournament itself.
It has taken a while to recover from that first Test, but it was so good to play for Scotland again. While it goes without saying that I have missed the highs of winning with the team, one of the things I was surprised to have missed during my time away was the more difficult stuff.
What I realised is that, whether it's pre season or in a tough game, nothing can replicate going to the trenches with your teammates and going to the really tough places knowing that you've got this full group of people behind you. You see the work that they do and how hard people are willing to push themselves. There's a real connection and a sense that you're not just doing it for yourself, you're doing it for the people to the left and right of you.
With the warm-ups now done, it's time to focus on the World Cup. We have some tough games in the pool stage, where we play Fiji, Wales and Canada. Fiji and Wales were our warm-up games ahead of last year's WXV - I wasn't playing at the time -which we won, but as I mentioned earlier you can't take too much from those kinds of results and we are under no illusion as to challenge both teams pose.
There's a particularly strong rivalry with Wales at the moment given recent Six Nations results as well as because of the heartbreaking way we lost to them at Rugby World Cup 2021 with no time left on the clock. It's been living with us for these last three years.
Going to New Zealand to take part in that tournament was such a great experience for me as well as the team. I really wanted to enjoy each moment because you never know when your last World Cup will be. But what I wasn't expecting was how much those losses to Wales and Australia stayed with me, especially given how close the games were. Both games were within three points.
That feeling of regret and wondering if there was anything else more we could have done is something that we've consciously trained with this time around. We want to go into this tournament knowing that we have left everything out there and that we've giving the best performances of ourselves.
This tournament is going to be a lot of fun but it's also an enormous opportunity to get more girls involved in our sport. I'm not a big football fan but you couldn't help but get engaged with what was happening with the Lionesses in the Euros this summer.
I love the superstars that have been made, like Chloe Kelly. That's really exciting. For quite a long time now we've spoken about this World Cup in England and the impact it can have. I can only truly hope it does have that impact.
As women's rugby players, every single player would say a big responsibility of ours is to inspire that next generation. That's not something forced upon us, that's something we truly feel. So many of us have started the game or played the game without those role models. To be able to see young girls really idolise players now is really special.
It's about us performing as teams in the World Cup but what impact that can have on another young girl or woman to pick up a ball, to watch rugby, to get involved in sport - it's not just about rugby. To be able to inspire empower females in that way, I feel very privileged to be in a position that I can do that. The fact that it's rugby we can do it through is very exciting. It feels like a really big opportunity.
Another reason I'm excited for this World Cup is the amount of support we're going to get due to how close we will be from Scotland. We are a really tight-knit squad given all we've been through as a unit, so everyone who comes to support us is there to support me as much as they are there to support their own family member - we'll have a big squad of cheerleaders.
I've got some of my own family coming to the games. I've had a tough time with family over the recent years but the ones I've got close will be there to cheer and I'm very excited about that.
I'm very conscious of how lucky I am, so I will be embracing it all, but I am really focussed on performing and hopefully getting wins for Scotland.
Scotland get their Rugby World Cup 2025 underway against Wales in Manchester on Saturday 23 August.
