'Mums thank me for changing the narrative': How motherhood in rugby has evolved

Sporseverleri yakından ilgilendiren önemli bir haber var. 'Mums thank me for changing the narrative': How motherhood in rugby has evolved To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Media caption, Lifting weights while pregnant - why Ward is 'changing the narrative' By Alastair Telfer Sport journalist Published 17 April 2026 Seeing Abbie Ward parade around a sold-out Allianz Stadium with the Women's Rugby World Cup trophy in one hand and her daughter Hallie in the other was an image that stuck with team-mate Lark Atkin-Davies. Lock Ward is expecting her second child later this year.

She returned to international rugby in 2024 after becoming the first contracted England woman to have a baby since the Red Roses went professional in 2019. Motherhood did not have to wait until after her career. The 33-year-old returned 17 weeks after giving birth and, just under two years later, started and scored in the 2025 World Cup final.

Maçın Detayları

Hooker Atkin-Davies, a replacement in that final and inspired by Ward's return to rugby, announced she was pregnant with her first child in December 2025 and, like Ward, is due to give birth this summer. England captain Zoe Stratford and fellow World Cup winner Rosie Galligan also announced pregnancies earlier this year. "Seeing Abbie go through her pregnancy with Hallie was the turning point," Atkin-Davies told Sport.

"I always had this desire to be a mum, but I did not know what it would look like. I love playing rugby - it is a huge part of who I am. "I thought I would love to have a baby and return, but I didn't know how that would work.

Not many people have done it. "One of the key moments was seeing Abbie on the pitch after the World Cup final, with the trophy in her hands. I saw it was possible, and I want to give it a shot.

Yorumlar ve Beklentiler

" The players will be supported by the Rugby Football Union's maternity policy, updated in February 2023. Players receive 26 weeks of fully paid leave, and travel and accommodation costs are covered for the children of players selected within 12 months of giving birth or adopting a child. A "support person" can also join them at games or training camps, with a similar provision for players who would prefer their infant to remain at home.

Scotland v England Women's Six Nations Saturday, 18 April, kick-off 13:30 BST Murrayfield Stadium Watch on iPlayer Watch live on Two, iPlayer and online; updates on Radio 5 Live and Sounds; live text and video highlights on Sport website and app Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Atkin-Davies, pictured with her niece and nephew, and Ward both started England's Grand Slam decider against France in last year's Six Nations England players can stay in camp on specialised training programmes throughout their pregnancy, with Ward and Atkin-Davies continuing to train alongside their team-mates in the gym.

Spor dünyasında bu gelişme gündemin üst sıralarına yerleşti. Taraftarlar ve uzmanlar konuyu yakından takip ediyor.