Abby Dow: From injury to star at the Rugby World Cup and her “Dad Jokes”

The scream that Abby Dow emitted when she broke her leg was so loud that, according to what she was told, 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. The injury 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 type of injury was approximately 10 months. Dow’s mind immediately focused on the World Cup, which was scheduled to begin in New Zealand in October, only six months away.

The chances of playing were slim. It was a race against time, and Dow started as the least favored. She asked the specialist if she could participate in the tournament.

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

Specialist

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

Abby DowRoss 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 off the bench and scored in the second half. This happened on October 8, 2022, a day before six months had passed since his leg fracture.

Dow shone, and the team reached the final, scoring four tries after overcoming enormous 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, how I should treat it, what it could do and what its limits were,” says Dow. “I think I was quite inexperienced in that sense before.”

Abby Dow“So, in fact, after that, I now understand much better what my body needs.” Dow has been a fundamental piece in the team’s development since 2022. Currently, she is one of the first on the team’s list and has played 54 matches for England. She stands out in defense, in addition to her offensive threats with the ability to score and create try opportunities. She also proclaims herself an expert in “dad jokes” within the team. “The problem is that I find them funny,” explains Dow.

“Well, I don’t think anyone else finds it funny. I usually get a lot of complaints, but that means I’m funny.”

Abby Dow

“I think I’m great personally, but whatever. It’s fine”.

Abby Dow

Her passion for crochet became evident before the match against Samoa. After being selected for the game, Dow was knitting in the stands before the start. Whether creating a crochet masterpiece or telling questionable jokes, it’s an example of the diversity of personalities that make the “Red Roses” unique, enjoyable, and, ultimately, successful. A winning environment begins with the freedom of 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. 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 the one they have is a big reason why England is one of the big favorites. Once they get going, they are difficult to stop.

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

Abby Dow

“We know each other. We’ve played together in the [PWR] and we’ve played against each other in the prem”.

Abby Dow

“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 in the fullback position than if I played fullback or Jess played fullback”.

Abby Dow