Abby Dow: From fracture to star at the Rugby World Cup and the Red Roses

The scream that Abby Dow let out when she broke her leg was so shocking that, it is said, it caused a nearby child to faint.

“How bad is that? I really should have kept that to myself a bit,” Dow commented, with a mix of a smile and concern.

Abby Dow

This occurred on April 9, 2022, during a Six Nations match against Wales. Dow suffered a spiral fracture with his leg broken in three places, requiring surgery. The estimated recovery time for this injury was about 10 months. Dow’s mind immediately focused on the World Cup, which would be held in New Zealand in October, only six months away.

The possibility of playing was remote, a race against time where Dow started as the least favorite. She consulted specialists about her chances of participating in the tournament.

Honestly, you probably won’t make it.”, they told Dow.

Specialists

I only remember sobbing and then Emily Ross, my physical therapist, said: ‘We have a small chance and we will do everything we can for that small chance.’ She worked with me every day.

Abby Dow

Ross even witnessed the surgery to fully understand what was happening. After what she describes as the “most intense” period of her career, with daily physiotherapy sessions, Dow recovered in time to be included in the World Cup team. In the opening match against Fiji, Dow came off the bench and scored a try in the second half. This happened on October 8, 2022, one day before the six-month mark since his injury.

Dow was a prominent figure, and he contributed to England reaching the final, scoring four tries after overcoming great physical and mental adversity. Although the Red Roses did not win the trophy, Dow got a lot out of the experience.

I learned a lot about my body and how I should treat it, what I could do and what its limits were. I think I was quite inexperienced in that sense before. So, coming from that, I now understand much better what my body needs.

Abby Dow

Since 2022, Dow has been a fundamental piece in the team’s development. She is currently one of the first on the team’s list, and at 27 years old she has played 54 matches for England. Strong in defense, she complements her offensive threat with the ability to score and create tries. She also claims to be an expert in “dad jokes” on the team. “The problem is that I find myself funny,” explains Dow.

Well, I don’t think anyone else finds me funny. I usually get a lot of long faces, but that means I’m funny. I think I’m great personally, but oh well. It’s okay.

Abby Dow

Her passion for crochet became evident before the match against Samoa. After being selected for the match, Dow dedicated herself to knitting in the stands before the start. Whether creating a crochet masterpiece or telling questionable jokes, it’s an example of the melting pot of personalities that makes the Red Roses unique, likeable, and, ultimately, successful. A winning environment starts with the freedom of players to be themselves, which fosters culture, cohesion, and success on the field. Whether it’s Dow’s jokes, the podcasts in which several players participate, or social media, each England player has space to express themselves. If England wants to lift the World Cup, their backline will play a key role. Wingers Dow and Jess Breach, as well as fullback Ellie Kildunne, have already proven their worth, with eight tries between them, despite Dow and Kildunne having only played one match so far. While the old saying that defense wins games may be true, having an elite offensive lineup like they do is a big reason why England is such a favorite. Once they get going, they are difficult to stop.

I think we’re very fortunate as a three-quarter unit to be able to play in different combinations and play a lot of minutes together,” explains Dow.

Abby Dow

We know how each one plays. We’ve played together in the [PWR] and we’ve played against each other in the prem. We have our different ways and we know how to work together. Jess is a very different winger to me and Ellie is very different as a fullback than if I played fullback or Jess played fullback.

Abby Dow