Proctor all in for Origins

• 28 Feb 2025
• Interviews

In a week where Glasgow Warriors celebrate all things Origins, Orla Proctor has a journey that stands out from the crowd.

A ballet dancer in her youth before switching to rugby, it’s a journey that has taken her from Stirling to Scotstoun via the RAF, Leicester Tigers and Harlequins, as she gears up for tomorrow’s final Celtic Challenge home game of 2024/25.

Shaping our Warriors 💪

Be there for our Club of Origin double-header this Saturday! https://t.co/KJY4GGkgBn#WhateverItTakes | #OriginRound pic.twitter.com/IKTUScOz3V

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) February 26, 2025

Throwing it back to the beginning of her journey, Proctor shared how she was attracted to rugby as family and friends around her were already involved in the sport.

“I got into rugby through my older sister, who was originally playing at school level,  and my younger brother, who was going to minis training,” she said.

“I started turning up to his sessions on Saturday mornings when my dancing classes were cancelled – I would go across and get to join in with his year group as he was just the year below me.

“I really liked it as it was a team sport – it was really fun and I enjoyed rolling around in the mud! My best friend at the time also played there, so it just felt natural for me to join.”

Having explained how dance was her hobby before deciding to change ballet shoes for rugby boots, Proctor also discussed the factors that contributed to said change, as well as the transferable skills which she was able to apply to her rugby to give her an advantage out on the field.

“I decided to change to rugby because I felt a lot more confident,” she said.

“In dancing I was always quite shy, so at concerts I was always hiding in the corner. I did not get that with rugby because you work as a team, it is not just yourself out there making it less intense than dance – the fun side of it drew me more towards rugby.

“I think I did transfer some skills over, too – with dancing you have to be good with your feet, which helped me when it came to side-stepping and the agility also plays a big part.”

Looking at this weekend’s game against Brython Thunder, the Stirling County product finds herself playing in a different position to her usual within the Glasgow squad, after being selected on the wing for tomorrow’s clash.

It’s a challenge she’s relishing, stating that experience backs her up in this situation.

“I am feeling really good about it,” she said.

“It is slightly different from being on that short line at 13 to staying quite wide and holding the width on the wing with the way that Glasgow play, but I’ve got a lot of experience playing back-three at Harlequins, so I am quite excited to show what I can do in that capacity for Glasgow.”

As she looks ahead for the next two weeks, the last two games of the Celtic Challenge for this season, Proctor discussed what her aims are individually and as part of the squad.

“Personally I just want to play a good style of rugby, have fun and gain experience,” she said.

“It is really good to be in this squad, and being part of the Scottish pathways is so exciting.”

“As a squad, we really want to protect our home this Saturday. We obviously did that very well against Edinburgh, but last week the first half just wasn’t our best. We really have been showing progression through the season, so we’re all in to defend our home in our last match at Scotstoun this season.”