'When is pain going to stop?' Crabb on endometriosis

Gwen Crabb has won 39 caps for Wales since her Test debut in 2018

Gwen Crabb has had to endure more than her fair share of injuries during her rugby career.

The 26-year-old Wales lock has just had her fourth surgery and is currently undergoing what she affectionately dubs "knee-hab 4.0".

But Crabb's latest diagnosis has been a different blow.

After years of living with painful periods, she has finally had the diagnosis of endometriosis.

For a time, she said, she was able to "get on with it" but matters reached breaking point during Wales' pool match against Canada at the 2025 World Cup.

"All I could think about was 'when is the pain going to stop?'," said Crabb.

"I was in so much pain that every now and then I was like 'oh yeah, I'm playing rugby'.

"The way I try to explain it is if you're in an ice bath all you can think about is that you're in an ice bath and how cold you are – that's how I felt with the pain.

"It was really difficult to be in the moment and concentrate on what the next play is, what am I doing in this lineout and trying to be fully present."

That game was the first time Crabb's flare-ups had affected her playing ability.

Previously symptoms had flared on rest days for either Wales or club side Gloucester-Hartpury, when they could be managed better.

"When you're playing an international Test at a World Cup, you can't really hide, you've got to get on with it. But I really struggled," said Crabb.

"It's almost helpful now because I can have conversations with coaches and medical staff to find out what can be done to help. You want to be at 100%."

Crabb's diagnosis came two years after former Wales team-mate Ffion Lewis revealed her endometriosis almost left her infertile.

The pair spoke openly about it on their Say It How It Is podcast that, in one episode, included an endometriosis surgeon as a guest.

Crabb began to have suspicions after discussing the symptoms off-air but admits she was "not mentally prepared" for the diagnosis.

"I wasn't expecting them to find anything because I've been told so many times the scan doesn't show anything, but it doesn't mean that you don't have it," she said.

"It actually showed a lot. I had a couple of cysts on my ovaries, one of them is quite big, basically they are endometrial tissue."

Crabb is currently awaiting the results of an MRI scan but is optimistic of her outcome.

"I've known I've had it for a long time, so now that it's official it goes a long way towards the acceptance and management of it," she said.

"Being an athlete is somewhat helpful because the first two things they say is exercise and diet."

Like Lewis, fertility is also something that weighs heavy on Crabb's mind.

"I was already concerned about my ability to conceive and even more so now," she said.

"There are people with endo that don't have fertility problems, especially when younger. Equally, having surgery can restore your fertility if it's a problem.

"I want to make sure the choice is there for as long as it can be."

Gwen Crabb has spent the past five years at Gloucester-Hartpury

Like many of her rugby peers, Crabb has a big presence on social media, documenting the daily ups and downs of being a professional athlete.

She believes an open approach to her diagnosis is helping both others and herself.

"I really wanted to be a YouTuber when I was 12 but now I get to use my creative side, whilst also putting out information which hopefully is helping people," she said.

"It's become part of my 'why' for playing. Before it was self-driven, to be the best. Now it's more like I want to show people that you can go through adversity and still achieve what you want.

"I feel really lucky that I can be open about these things. I know a lot of people can't and feel like they have to bottle things inside.

"I just told everybody straight away. If I'm struggling I feel like I've got loads of people that I can go and speak to."

Crabb is still recovering from her latest knee surgery but hopes to return to action for Gloucester-Hartpury in late December.

"I am sad at missing the start of the season because it has taken a long time to get back to a place where I was enjoying playing rugby and feeling like I'm playing close to where I was before these injuries," she said.

"I'm frustrated I can't keep building on that but every injury is another learning curve and I'm excited to still be able to do that when I come back."

What is endometriosis?

• It's where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes

• It can affect women of any age, including teenagers

• Symptoms can include pain in your lower tummy or back, period pain that stops you doing your normal activities, and pain during or after sex

• Some women experience no symptoms but for many others the pain can be debilitating, and the condition can lead to infertility

Source: NHS