Rugby Union stars support surgery fundraiser for Worthing teenager

Jessica Ricca-Maggs plays for the Worthing Rugby Football Club under-14s. Club chairman Tim Mackew said: “Jess is one of the brightest young developing talents that Rugby Union has seen and has the ability, ambition and work ethic to achieve professional rugby status at the highest level.”

The teenager ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a tournament in April.

Since the injury – and after an MRI scan – Jessie has been waiting for reconstructive surgery.

“Although listed as priority by the NHS, who are doing all they can, they are unable to confirm when she can have an operation,” Jessie’s dad, Phil, said.

"With seven months passing, there is no indication at all when they could do the operation, even with us reaching out to the hospital who confirmed there is nothing we or they can do.

“The next stage of Jessie's journey should be joining Worthing College Academy, where she can pursue both her academic and sporting ambitions of joining the Harlequins academy.”

Jessie added: "When it [the injury] happened, I didn’t realise how bad it was. I thought it would be a couple of months before I got the operation.

"Obviously that's not the case. I just want to play rugby and be involved with the whole community.”

The injury meant Jessie would miss her club’s 10's festival, 7's academy and Sussex try-outs, whilst she also couldn't play rugby matches.

She was also told she could not take her GCSE PE because of the injury – and an operation is needed soon ‘due to practical elements of the alternative qualification offered’.

With an ‘expected 12-month recovery period’ post operation, Jessie needs the operation ‘very soon to keep on track’.