England World Cup winner Abbie Ward has announced she is pregnant with her second child.
The 32-year-old Bristol Bears lock, who is married to former Harlequins hooker Dave Ward, shared the news in a post on her Instagram account., external
“Ward baby number two incoming summer 2026!” wrote Ward, who has been capped 81 times with England.
Ward’s pregnancy with her first daughter Hallie was considered a landmark moment for the Red Roses’ maternity policy.
Since 2023, England women’s rugby players have been entitled to 26 weeks’ fully paid maternity leave as well as funds for children to travel to games with them.
The majority of the England women’s international rugby players have had professional contracts since 2019, but the RFU did not have a maternity policy designed specifically for players until four years later.
The new policy was created with the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) and the input of players themselves.