England lock Abbie Ward has revealed that she is pregnant with her second child.
The 32-year-old second row was part of the Red Roses side that secured Rugby World Cup triumph on home soil in September having returned from the birth of her daughter Hallie before the tournament.
The Bristol Bears forward will now miss the 2026 Women’s Six Nations after announcing the news on Instagram.
“Some amazing news to share. Another wild preseason incoming,” wrote Ward, capped 81 times for her country, in a joint post with husband Dave, the former Harlequins hooker.
Since 2023, England women’s players have been entitled to 26 weeks’ fully paid maternity leave, as well as funds for children to travel to games with them, in a landmark policy negotiated by the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) with the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
Ward returned to action just a few months since giving birth to Hallie, and spoke before the World Cup final win over Canada about how her daughter had changed her perspective.
“Hallie is my motivation,” Ward explained. “I think I can be quite a serious individual, very process driven. I’m probably one of the players that is like, ‘we need to make sure we do this, this, this and have meetings’. I think coming back after [having Hallie] has made me think, ‘get everything you can out of these moments and this squad’. Just enjoy it.
“The time that I am away that I’m sacrificing not with her, I want to make it worth it. I’m just going to enjoy the experience and I’m going to enjoy being with the squad. I’m just going to milk it for what it’s worth, because this time of wearing an England shirt is so little and it will go so quickly.
“It definitely has made me think to enjoy every moment to its maximum and try to get involved in everything that I can. Obviously, the on-pitch stuff is the on pitch, but even the off pitch. I think it’s helped. It’s helped me enjoy it. I’m always going to take it seriously, but it’s also helped me like when I need to switch off and not take it so seriously.”
Hooker Lark Atkin-Davies, Ward’s teammate for club and country, is expecting her first child and will also miss the Six Nations.
