Abby Dow: From Injury to Rugby Success, “Dad Jokes” and the English Elite

Abby Dow’s scream when she broke her leg was so loud that, according to what they told her, a nearby child fainted.

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

Abby Dow

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

The possibility of playing was remote. A race against time with Dow as the great underdog. She asked the specialist if she would make it to the tournament.

“Honestly, probably not,” they replied to Dow.

Specialist

Dow reported that Emily Ross, her physical therapist, told her: “We have a small chance and we are going to do everything we can for that small chance.” Ross worked with her every day. Ross even witnessed the surgery to understand exactly what was happening. After what she describes as the “most intense” period of her career, with daily physiotherapy, Dow recovered in time to be included in the World Cup team. In the opening match against Fiji, he came on from the bench and scored in the second half. This happened on October 8, 2022, one day before the six-month anniversary of his leg fracture.

Dow shone as England reached the final, scoring four tries after overcoming great physical and mental adversity. Although the Red Roses did not win the trophy, Dow took a lot from the experience.

“I learned a lot about my body and how I should treat it, what I could do to it and what its limits were,” says Dow. “I think I was quite inexperienced in that sense before. So, actually, as a result of that, I now understand much more what my body needs.”

Abby Dow

Dow has been a crucial part of the team’s development since 2022. Now, being one of the first on the team’s list, the 27-year-old player has won 54 matches with England. Strong in defense and with threats in attack, with the ability to score and create tries. She is also the self-proclaimed expert in “dad jokes” of 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 groans, but that means I’m funny. I think I’m great personally, but whatever. It’s fine”.

Abby Dow

Her passion for crochet became evident before the match against Samoa. Having rested for the game, Dow was working with the needles in the stands before the start. Whether you like questionable jokes or not, it’s an example of the melting pot of personalities that makes the Red Roses unique, likable, and ultimately successful. A winning environment starts with allowing players to be themselves, which generates 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 three defenders will play a key role. Dow and Jess Breach on the wings, as well as fullback Ellie Kildunne, have already demonstrated their collective worth, with eight tries between them, despite the fact that Dow and Kildunne have only played one match so far. While the old saying that defense wins games may be true, having an elite attacking 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 lucky as a unit of three players at the back 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.”