It has been far from a straight forward journey from the University of Gloucestershire 1st XV in 2015 to starting for England at the Rugby World Cup in 2019.
Since signing for Premiership outfit Bath in 2018, he has become a first team regular whenever he has been able to have prolonged periods of time fully fit on the pitch.
It has been a turbulent season so far for Bath Winger Ruaridh McConnochie, with injuries blighting his chances to string a run of games together for the Gallagher Premiership’s basement club.
The 30-year-old has been limited to just nine appearances this year, with his knee injury the most recent reason he has been side-lined.
The two-time England Winger made his name on the sevens circuit between 2015 and 2018, including selection for the 2016 Rio Olympic games, before Premiership side Bath secured the speedsters services.
But it was at the University of Gloucestershire where it all began for McConnochie, where he played in a very successful 1st XV.
Get an update on McConnochie’s latest injury here
One of the players who regularly ran out alongside McConnochie almost eight years ago was Max Folkard, a UoG undergraduate at the time and close friend of the talented back-three player.
One of Folkard’s most vivid memories is from the first time the two crossed-paths.
“He was just a genuinely really nice guy! He would always willingly engage with you regardless of whether you were playing firsts, seconds or thirds.
“He had a good sense of humour because he would remember little bits about you and then bring it up in conversations and be able to have those little cracks and jokes.”
McConnochie’s humour was one of his biggest assets according to ex-teammate Folkard, however, his mate remained driven off the pitch despite his clear talent.
“When I got to know him more he was on the path for greater things. I would often see him, and if it wasn’t at rugby it would be Francis Close Campus doing work.
“He wasn’t boozing as hard as the other boys because I think he knew he had a good shot at something.”
McConnochie was being touted for big things by the time he hit his early-twenties, so when things got serious with parent club Hartpury, the dazzling winger had to be cautious how he managed his workload.
So, when it came to University Rugby, games were few and far between.
Yet for all the memories the two mates made together on the pitch when they both donned the blue and white stripes, there is one famous away trip that will forever stay with Folkard.
“This is a crazy story right, but it sticks out in my head.
“We were playing away in the cup to Exeter Uni. We started really well, but then had a red card and two yellow cards and we started thinking ‘we are completely buggered here’.
“Ruadridh happened to be on the bench that day, which was very rare, so he came on for us.
“He just absolutely tore it up.
“He scored a try and made so much happen in his channel and moved the defence so well, it saved us the game. That was the reality of ‘jesus christ, he’s just come on with us 3 men down and done that’, so you could definitely tell Ruaridh was different calibre.”
For many players on the University circuit, coming up against household names or players that are on the path to big things is a common occurrence. However, seeing those players live up to the expectation first hand is another thing entirely.
That wasn’t the case for Folkard when watching McConnochie however.
“You hear people say ‘oh he’s played for such’ and such and its normally all talk. This wasn’t true with him.
“We all expected good things from him, but we soon had the realisation that he was mustard.”
Since leaving University and settling down in Cheltenham, the winger has made 61 appearances for Bath and become a key player in the star studded back-line at The Rec.
His horrid run of injury luck has given him plenty of free time when he hasn’t been in the gym doing hours of rehabilitation.
One benefit of his time off the pitch that McConnochie has found is his ability to reconnect with old contacts, just as he has done with Folkard and former coach Chris Downes at Cheltenham-based side Old Patesians RFC, where he has recently signed as a Skills Coach.
Folkard says his knowledge of the game is exceptional, but equally as important his persona around the squad has helped bring the group closer.
“He understands the game so much better now, and he is exactly the same personality.
“There is an expectation that when people go on to bigger and better things they will carry an air of arrogance, but there is nothing like that with him.
“He constantly observes things and he picks up on the tiniest of details, the subtle little changes he makes have a big domino.
“He picks up low hanging fruit and has quick fixes, as well as being happy to take boys to one side and question people to help them progress.”
For now, the closest McConnochie will be getting to the pitch is in his coaching role at Old Pats, before facing a race to get back to fitness and help his Bath side climb back up the Gallagher Premiership table.
While an England recall seems a way off with the depth Eddie Jones has at his disposal in the back-three, the impact the Bath man can have in a blue, black and white shirt must not be underestimated.
