England’s Marlie Packer: ‘I thought it was all over. I’d lose my job, lose my rugby’

The Saracens back-rower’s career hung by a thread after a ‘soul-destroying’ drink-driving incident but the RFU’s support meant the chance of a fresh startMarlie Packer remembers it as a gorgeous August Saturday. Saracens had a pre-season friendly. She was still recovering from an operation, so didn’t play, but spent the day running out the water bottles. They won handily, and afterwards everyone went to the pub. It was the first time the whole squad had been back together since they won the Premiership final three months earlier. “Everyone’s spirits were really good,” Packer says. She had two …