Abbie Ward: England and Bristol lock announces pregnancy
- Published
Abbie Ward has won 61 England caps
England forward Abbie Ward has announced she is pregnant with her first child.
The 29-year-old Bristol Bears player was part of the England team who were runners-up at the 2022 World Cup.
In a post on Instagram, she said: "I can't wait to have my mini-me pitch side next season and show that athletes can be mums too."
The former Harlequins and DMP Sharks player joined Bristol in 2021 and is married to coach Dave Ward.
Their baby is due in the summer, and Abbie Ward said she would continue to "train hard" and give her "full support to the Red Roses and Bristol Bears".
Ward made her England debut in 2015 and has helped the team to four successive successive Six Nations titles.
She is the first contracted England woman to become pregnant since the Red Roses went professional in 2019.
England's contracted women are all on one-year deals, which come to an end in the summer depending on selection for the following season.
The Rugby Football Union does not currently have a bespoke maternity policy for players, but will announce one next month. It will detail the support provided to any player who is pregnant or on maternity leave at the point that contracts are renegotiated or extended.
Contracted players are currently eligible for the RFU's pre-maternity policy, introduced in September 2020, which involves reduced activity and play with medical advice, as well as options to take maternity leave or transfer to a different role.
Other unions have developed policies for new mothers who wish to return to play after birth - in New Zealand, players with a child aged under one are given £8,000 to support costs for a carer to travel with them and their baby.
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