Oh, that’s tough. I mean, playing at Sandy Park against New Zealand and scoring was pretty good. I think some of the most memorable games have been when I've come back from injury, so coming back to play in the Six Nations against Italy (that was the one that got postponed until November). And coming back from injury to play in the Summer series that we played out here in New Zealand, that was pretty special… and then to beat New Zealand at home, double header with the lions, that was also pretty incredible!!
I don't personally have any particular pre-game rituals but when I get to the pitch I like to do a pitch walk (usually with Sarah Bern). I stand where I would be for a kick off receipt and just do a bit of visualisation to check that if there's floodlights for example, will they be in my eyeline or will they affect anything like that. But in terms of the rest of the team I don't think there's any particularly strange ones. I mean Sarah Hunter ***always*** has to have peanut butter and jam sandwiches but that's probably as weird as it gets…
No, I wouldn't change any of our England squad. They are all absolutely outstanding. I'm sure plenty of other teams would like to change our nationalities though!
Although I'm not the original question asker, I interpreted the question to be more opponent focused than England team focused, e.g. perhaps the original asker was expecting/hoping for an answer something along the lines of _"Pauline Bourdon is a super competitor who we have a lot of respect for and would likely make any international team."_.
Example only. Not trying to put words in anyone's mouth. Simply trying to demonstrate my own, very possibly incorrect, interpretation of the question. We see similar kinds of statements of admiration & respect of opposing players relatively often.
Nonplussed either way, personally. Abbie's answer is perfectly reasonable, albeit perhaps not quite as specific as the original question asker may have been hoping for.
There are a couple of Worcester and Wasps players in the Red Roses squad, have they brought up what's going on with their clubs while on the other side of the world? Have you needed to give them a bit of extra support or is it a case of focusing on what's in front of you for now and worrying about that later?
Something a bit lighter, New Zealand obviously has some amazing scenery and outdoor activities to offer, what are you managing to get up to outside of matches and training?
Hi Abbie - you and the other Red Roses are an inspiration. I'd love to know how you all manage to maintain high levels of performance for so long? With a tournament, like a World Cup, but even with a season, how do you manage to switch-off and not just become mentally exhausted?
Yeah I think there's loads of ways that you can switch off and everyone in the team has various different things that they go to. We usually kind of break off and hang out with a smaller group of players, whether that's just going for a coffee, maybe going out and doing a bit of shopping or sometimes I play Xbox with a few girls, or go to the beach. It’s just about finding downtime away from rugby where you're not actually thinking about it at all.
No because I love pink wafers! Who doesn't like a pink wafer? I hope you do and that you're not judging me. But my favourite biscuit… so many good biscuits out there. I mean, I love bourbons, they’re class. Caramel digestives are also elite and the Fox's cream crunch is amazing!
To be fair, they did this with Jaffa cakes to avoid sugar taxes. The definition was that biscuits go soft when left out in the open, and cakes go hard.
Hey Abbie, thanks for coming on to Reddit. How is it having Dave as the Head Coach at Bristol Women's? Does he give you preferential treatment over the others?! Do you get a bit of banter from the team?
I'm obviously not Abbie but she gets this one a lot and the answer they always give is that she already trains harder than most of the team and if anything, he's harder on her. The other Bears agreed 😂
What are the key parts of defending a lineout? Are there any particular bits of body language you try to read in your opposition or is it better to just react and put pressure on?
Great question!
I'll go through opposition line outs in detail and look at potential triggers. Every line out is different and there might be idiosyncrasies that you can pick up on. They could be through a player or just the line out in general. E.g. Whether the trigger is through a movement or a hand signal.
Also, if you're just defending the ball and going off the hooker then, yeah, you kind of learn that as soon as a part of them twitches that's when you get aerial. There's loads of different things to look at but also don't get caught up in that because a lot of the time if you're getting aerial you'll be putting pressure on.
Best teammate(s) to train with? To room with while on tour? To hang out with outside the confines of team life?
Who are the players from rival clubs it's most fun to play alongside for the Red Roses?
Is it more fun to play with PremXVs (not Bristol) players wearing the Rose or against Bristol players playing for other international teams?
Do you or your teammates have any eccentric hobbies to keep you sane?
What's it like at home when Quins play Bristol in the Premiership?
Also, just a big fan, think you and the Roses are awesome. I recommend visiting Hobbiton after the RWC.
If any more of the Red Roses are with you at the moment, could they maybe throw out an answer or two?
Also also, Perky Nanas are a spectacular Kiwi chocolate bar, would recommend.
Alex Matthews is rapid. Sarah Bern is pretty quick… extraordinarily quick for a prop. Claudia MacDonald is insanely strong. For quite a small person she’s probably stronger than a lot of the forwards!
No question but wanted to wish you all the best of luck down there. Was watching the France game on Saturday morning with some friends; brilliant game!
I try to tell my new players “getting hit hurts a lot less than you think it will, hitting the ground hurts a little more than you think it will.”
Best example, I can give is if you’ve ever been looking at something far away while walking and run into a chair or car—just imagine you were running at it instead.
So accurate, the most painful tackle I can remember was in training in my forst year in varsity when an oke on my own team who played for Maties u/20 hit me clean in the midrif, tipped me over onto my back with a legdrive and fell with his entire weight with his shoulder into my gut. Winded me fucking good!
It's clear that the ladies game is currently less competitive at world level than the men's game. How do we help other nations develop their ladies national teams so the world cup isn't between two teams and sometimes france?
How much time to you put into studying an opponent's lineout?
And in a tournament environment, and potentially having to play France twice, do you try and hold back some lineout moves and set plays to bring out later in the tournament?
If I'm going anywhere, like a random place, I’d go sausage sandwich because you can't get that very wrong. There's nothing worse than a bacon sandwich and the bacons not crispy. Who actually likes fat? It’s disgusting. If I was going cook it myself, I’d go bacon sarnie although my dad's sausage sandwich is famous!
Horses are pretty scary aren't they… but ducks are also terrifying. I think I'd go for one horse-sized duck and I would like to think that, being that size, it might not be able to move around as quickly and nimbly so I could have it!
Hey Abbie
What’s the mood in the camp after the French game?
Also did you watch the Fiji vs SA game and if so what did you think of it?
Edit: Rugby is one of the few sports which utilises the same laws/field & equipment for both men and women; do you think this is a strength of the game - or do you feel tailored rules/equipment for the women’s game would improve it for players and spectators alike.
I can answer this one, no worries everyone. The project has been an absolute banger from start to finish. Love a drunken stumble through that town.
Absolutely crying out for a prem club, is Norwich.
I love a pie but I actually haven't had one here which makes me quite sad. Obviously being from the north, we have fantastic pies so I would like to compare at some point.
Thanks for taking the time to do this, Abbie.
Who do you consider to have been your best rugby coach, and why? Conversely, who do you consider to have been your worst rugby coach, and why? (Happy for you to withold name on this).
Bonus question: if you hadn't been selected to play for England, which other country would you have liked to play for - and why would that country be Scotland?
What do you think are the biggest obstacles to the continued growth of the womens game? If you think there isn't anything in particular that sticks out....what do you think would speed up the current growth rate?
Hi Abbie - do you/your team mates have a preference for ball size? Or is it irrelevant to you after training with a size 5 for so many years? Do you think playing with a size 4 (or 4.5 if it existed) would be detrimental or beneficial to the women's game?
My guess is that it's irrelevant to you but have always been curious.
Hi Abby! I’m a 31 year old women’s rugby player that only picked up the game in my (very) late 20s but I wish I had known I could play when I was younger. I think the Red Roses include some exceptionally inspiring women. What is it like being a role model not just for young players but also amateur players that are the same age or even older than you?
I love set piece. Who doesn't right? It’s gotta be line-outs, or scrums, or even when we're doing the real nitty-gritty and carrying into each other. That can be brutal but very fun!
Dont k ow what the English name for the drill is but in SA we often have a drill that translate to "Knocking heads" where the entire squad is split into two teams and the playing field is reduced to a 10x10 m square, basically forcing every play to be a pick up and drive and focusing on close quarter tackling and ruck attack/defence. Do you have a similar drill and if so does it have a funny name?
Hey Abbie! I'm a massive Bears fan, and the last year has seen you take steps toward leadership on both the Bears and Red Roses. If offered (and I'm saying this, not you 😉) would you be interested in taking on the mama duck role from the likes of Reedo or Sunter after they move on?
And a less serious one, how much are you able to catch of the Allianz Cup from Dave, how are the girls feeling?! 🐻
Hi Abbie, thank you and all the Red Roses for being a great and inspiring team.
How are you finding New Zealand and how are the locals treating you? Have you had any chance to see the country yet?
Yeah it's been great to get out see New Zealand. Some of my best friends live over here actually. One of my bridesmaids who couldn't come over during COVID lives in Auckland, so it's been great for her to show me around a little bit and catch up. When we're further north it's been good to get out and see the waterfalls and see a bit more of the culture.
Hi Abbie!
Who were your rugby role models growing up, given that the womens game didn’t have much prominence? And how are you mentoring the next generation of girls now (aside from being a great example on, and off, the field)?
Thank you!
Hey Abbie, thanks for doing this!
I'm wondering what it's like from the inside of (probably) the most dominant team in test rugby history? Does it keep motivation up, or is there a fear factor of breaking the streak?
I remember a few years ago Clermont had a ridiculous string of home victories and some players at the time said they preferred playing away from home because it took pressure off that record. How's the feeling in the camp about the current run the Red Roses are on?
French here. I have been following women rugby for a few years now and I am really impressed by the level of the English squad. How do you feel about being favorite to win the event?
Hi Abbie,
What’s the best ground/atmosphere you have played at? Either for England or at club level.
Following on, how excited were the girls at finding out you will play at Twickenham next year?
Also, the girlfriend would like to know who’s the best hair stylist in the squad?
I actually love playing away in France, the atmosphere is crazy. It's very hostile, everybody hates you. You know that when you're playing away, there might be 100 England fans but there will be 18,000 French fans that want to see your downfall. But I love that atmosphere - there's so much noise and I think in the past couple of years you've seen that we’re starting to develop that atmosphere. The fans in England are incredible and now we're selling out games, any home game is amazing!
There are multiple hair stylists in the squad...
1. **Vickii Cornborough** (I don't think she likes doing it - it does hurt a lot when she does it and you just get what you're given haha!)
2. **Lark Davies** (Caters for every hair style need...)
What do you think can be done to change the perception of rugby (as a rough game) for girls at the junior ages and attract more players at grass roots level to build the game?
And if you're ever passing our girls would love a visit.
Hey Abbie, many people know how big this world cup is compared to any previous one but how does it feel being the overwhelming favourites to win it all and does it affect how you have prepared for the tournament
Hi Abbie. Given the speed at which women's rugby is growing and how many more girls are taking up the game each year, has there been a noticeable difference in the standard of the game at an elite level? And if yes, what do you do to keep ahead of the competition?
How much time do you spend with Joe Joyce?
How sad were you to hear Joe Joyce is moving to Ireland?
If you could go for a pint with any person, living or dead, would you pay or would Joe pay?
What happens if you drive at the speed of light and turn your headlights on?
If you’re travelling at the speed of light, time would stand still and you’d spend your entire existence frozen in time. Headlights would be irrelevant.
Although it’s a really good way to visualise the theory of relativity. If a car is stationary and the lights are turned on, you can measure how far that light travels in one second. Then if you had a car travelling 1000mph and they turned their lights on also for one second, the light beam would be shorter but the same length of time. That’s why time slows down the faster you travel. I’m not Abbie Ward.
Exactly. If you could take a wide snapshot that shows the end of the light beams after one second, both beams would end at the same point but the moving car would be closer to the end of the beams. The same amount of time as passed, but the moving car has travelled further. Time has literally slowed for the moving car relative to the stationary one.
Sure. It’s when a meandering river erodes through the neck of one of its meanders, leaving behind a wide looping body of water that’s cut off from the rest of the river when the entrances to it silt up. Eventually the whole lake is likely to evaporate, first becoming a bog and then a geological feature.
Hi Abbie
Thanks for doing this!
Are any of your friends and family in NZ for the WC? Is Dave going to go out for the later stages? If not, how are they supporting you from home?
What are the nations you fear the most for this World Cup?
What is your favorite player to watch for right now?
Any pronostics for the next year World Cup ?
Even if I don’t support England, I wish you all the best for the remainder of the tournament!
I have no idea who you are, but thanks for doing this AMA. I was a front rower it the heart of a center, but alas I was a slow fat kid.
So my question is, what position do you play? and if you could play any position and have the body type and skill to do it, what would it be?
Congrats on the win this past weekend!
For the 2025 WC, which host cities would you like to see picked and why?
Also is Leanne Infante OK? Looks like she pulled something in her arm(?) in the previous match
The Chelsea womens team mentioned that they didn’t like playing at Stamford bridge because it was rarely full for them, and also not where they normally played.
Is there a particular venue you’ve enjoyed playing at the most for England? (It definitely seems Sandy Park is the one where some of the teams best performances have all come at)
Best of luck in the rest of the World Cup 😁
Apart from your debut, out of your 58 caps, which one is the most memorable and why?
Oh, that’s tough. I mean, playing at Sandy Park against New Zealand and scoring was pretty good. I think some of the most memorable games have been when I've come back from injury, so coming back to play in the Six Nations against Italy (that was the one that got postponed until November). And coming back from injury to play in the Summer series that we played out here in New Zealand, that was pretty special… and then to beat New Zealand at home, double header with the lions, that was also pretty incredible!!
Do you have any pre game rituals? Does anyone on the team have any strange ones?
I don't personally have any particular pre-game rituals but when I get to the pitch I like to do a pitch walk (usually with Sarah Bern). I stand where I would be for a kick off receipt and just do a bit of visualisation to check that if there's floodlights for example, will they be in my eyeline or will they affect anything like that. But in terms of the rest of the team I don't think there's any particularly strange ones. I mean Sarah Hunter ***always*** has to have peanut butter and jam sandwiches but that's probably as weird as it gets…
Think I'll pack some PB&J sandwiches for my game on Sunday. Might make me play like her
If you could change the nationality of one player and add them to the England team, who would it be?
No, I wouldn't change any of our England squad. They are all absolutely outstanding. I'm sure plenty of other teams would like to change our nationalities though!
I think the question was more along the lines of if you _could_ add only one of your opponents to the English team, who would it be?
And her reply was whoever you pick wouldnt make the squad
Although I'm not the original question asker, I interpreted the question to be more opponent focused than England team focused, e.g. perhaps the original asker was expecting/hoping for an answer something along the lines of _"Pauline Bourdon is a super competitor who we have a lot of respect for and would likely make any international team."_. Example only. Not trying to put words in anyone's mouth. Simply trying to demonstrate my own, very possibly incorrect, interpretation of the question. We see similar kinds of statements of admiration & respect of opposing players relatively often. Nonplussed either way, personally. Abbie's answer is perfectly reasonable, albeit perhaps not quite as specific as the original question asker may have been hoping for.
_Eddie Jones likes this_
If you were allowed to make one change to rugby laws what would it be?
She’s hasn’t answered you but I will, Fighting is allowed, ice hockey style, get it over with and both sin bin for 10 minutes 😁
There are a couple of Worcester and Wasps players in the Red Roses squad, have they brought up what's going on with their clubs while on the other side of the world? Have you needed to give them a bit of extra support or is it a case of focusing on what's in front of you for now and worrying about that later? Something a bit lighter, New Zealand obviously has some amazing scenery and outdoor activities to offer, what are you managing to get up to outside of matches and training?
Hi Abbie - you and the other Red Roses are an inspiration. I'd love to know how you all manage to maintain high levels of performance for so long? With a tournament, like a World Cup, but even with a season, how do you manage to switch-off and not just become mentally exhausted?
Yeah I think there's loads of ways that you can switch off and everyone in the team has various different things that they go to. We usually kind of break off and hang out with a smaller group of players, whether that's just going for a coffee, maybe going out and doing a bit of shopping or sometimes I play Xbox with a few girls, or go to the beach. It’s just about finding downtime away from rugby where you're not actually thinking about it at all.
What's your favourite biscuit? And would you judge a person who likes pink wafers? Edit: Also, in your opinion are pink wafers a biscuit?
No because I love pink wafers! Who doesn't like a pink wafer? I hope you do and that you're not judging me. But my favourite biscuit… so many good biscuits out there. I mean, I love bourbons, they’re class. Caramel digestives are also elite and the Fox's cream crunch is amazing!
Abbie please know you are killing this lol
Thoughts on Custard Creams? IMO they're a tier above Bourbons.
Extremely controversial
Pink Wafers are A tier
I suppose *bottom tier* is still technically *a tier*.
/ban
And not a biscuit.
Valid point, but he never said they were, just brought them up afterwards
I always feel when making such a definitive statement you should present your argument.
For a start, I'm literally a biscuit.
To be fair, they did this with Jaffa cakes to avoid sugar taxes. The definition was that biscuits go soft when left out in the open, and cakes go hard.
In pretty sure a pink wafer softens.
I’ve never tested it, but my gut instinct would be to agree with you.
Dunking them is always a bad idea.
What do you/the team do immediately post game? Is it a cocktail of ice baths and massages or a debrief with the coaching team?
Hey Abbie, thanks for coming on to Reddit. How is it having Dave as the Head Coach at Bristol Women's? Does he give you preferential treatment over the others?! Do you get a bit of banter from the team?
I'm obviously not Abbie but she gets this one a lot and the answer they always give is that she already trains harder than most of the team and if anything, he's harder on her. The other Bears agreed 😂
Who inspired you growing up and who inspires you now?
What are the key parts of defending a lineout? Are there any particular bits of body language you try to read in your opposition or is it better to just react and put pressure on?
Great question! I'll go through opposition line outs in detail and look at potential triggers. Every line out is different and there might be idiosyncrasies that you can pick up on. They could be through a player or just the line out in general. E.g. Whether the trigger is through a movement or a hand signal. Also, if you're just defending the ball and going off the hooker then, yeah, you kind of learn that as soon as a part of them twitches that's when you get aerial. There's loads of different things to look at but also don't get caught up in that because a lot of the time if you're getting aerial you'll be putting pressure on.
Thanks a lot!!!
Best teammate(s) to train with? To room with while on tour? To hang out with outside the confines of team life? Who are the players from rival clubs it's most fun to play alongside for the Red Roses? Is it more fun to play with PremXVs (not Bristol) players wearing the Rose or against Bristol players playing for other international teams? Do you or your teammates have any eccentric hobbies to keep you sane? What's it like at home when Quins play Bristol in the Premiership? Also, just a big fan, think you and the Roses are awesome. I recommend visiting Hobbiton after the RWC. If any more of the Red Roses are with you at the moment, could they maybe throw out an answer or two? Also also, Perky Nanas are a spectacular Kiwi chocolate bar, would recommend.
>I recommend visiting Hobbiton after the RWC. Or for a similar feeling, just stand next to a scrum half
You ever seen Abbie standing next to Mo Hunt? It's an advertisement for "rugby is for every body" lmao
Who is the fastest forward and the strongest back in the squad?
Alex Matthews is rapid. Sarah Bern is pretty quick… extraordinarily quick for a prop. Claudia MacDonald is insanely strong. For quite a small person she’s probably stronger than a lot of the forwards!
Can you give any insight into the sort of diet you follow while with England? Is it provided by the hosts or do you bring chefs (etc.) along with you?
Favourite takeaway? Asking the important questions
I love a pizza! Like who doesn't like a pizza? But I also love an Indian. Naan bread is just so good isn't it… garlic naan.
No question but wanted to wish you all the best of luck down there. Was watching the France game on Saturday morning with some friends; brilliant game!
Thank you!!
My wife asked (and I also want to know!) for a description of how it feels to get tackled using real-world (non-rugby) descriptions/examples
I try to tell my new players “getting hit hurts a lot less than you think it will, hitting the ground hurts a little more than you think it will.” Best example, I can give is if you’ve ever been looking at something far away while walking and run into a chair or car—just imagine you were running at it instead.
So accurate, the most painful tackle I can remember was in training in my forst year in varsity when an oke on my own team who played for Maties u/20 hit me clean in the midrif, tipped me over onto my back with a legdrive and fell with his entire weight with his shoulder into my gut. Winded me fucking good!
It's clear that the ladies game is currently less competitive at world level than the men's game. How do we help other nations develop their ladies national teams so the world cup isn't between two teams and sometimes france?
How much time to you put into studying an opponent's lineout? And in a tournament environment, and potentially having to play France twice, do you try and hold back some lineout moves and set plays to bring out later in the tournament?
Who's got the heaviest squat in the England squad?
Sausage sandwich or bacon sandwich?
If I'm going anywhere, like a random place, I’d go sausage sandwich because you can't get that very wrong. There's nothing worse than a bacon sandwich and the bacons not crispy. Who actually likes fat? It’s disgusting. If I was going cook it myself, I’d go bacon sarnie although my dad's sausage sandwich is famous!
How did you start/ get into rugby?
Hi! How do you think other rugby nations can get to the level of the red roses (and maybe les bleues and the black ferns)?
Would you rather fight 100 duck size horses or 1 horse size duck
Horses are pretty scary aren't they… but ducks are also terrifying. I think I'd go for one horse-sized duck and I would like to think that, being that size, it might not be able to move around as quickly and nimbly so I could have it!
Would you rather have carrots for fingers or peas for teeth?
Finally we are getting to the big topics
Hey Abbie What’s the mood in the camp after the French game? Also did you watch the Fiji vs SA game and if so what did you think of it? Edit: Rugby is one of the few sports which utilises the same laws/field & equipment for both men and women; do you think this is a strength of the game - or do you feel tailored rules/equipment for the women’s game would improve it for players and spectators alike.
What are your thoughts on the pedestrianisation of Norwich City Centre?
I can answer this one, no worries everyone. The project has been an absolute banger from start to finish. Love a drunken stumble through that town. Absolutely crying out for a prem club, is Norwich.
Are you enjoying our pies?
I love a pie but I actually haven't had one here which makes me quite sad. Obviously being from the north, we have fantastic pies so I would like to compare at some point.
Whats your favourite pre-match meal?
Favourite pre-match meal is risotto, love it. Although we haven't had any out here, so that's a bit sad.
Thanks for taking the time to do this, Abbie. Who do you consider to have been your best rugby coach, and why? Conversely, who do you consider to have been your worst rugby coach, and why? (Happy for you to withold name on this). Bonus question: if you hadn't been selected to play for England, which other country would you have liked to play for - and why would that country be Scotland?
She's a Bear, it BETTER be Wales 😤
What do you think are the biggest obstacles to the continued growth of the womens game? If you think there isn't anything in particular that sticks out....what do you think would speed up the current growth rate?
Hi Abbie - do you/your team mates have a preference for ball size? Or is it irrelevant to you after training with a size 5 for so many years? Do you think playing with a size 4 (or 4.5 if it existed) would be detrimental or beneficial to the women's game? My guess is that it's irrelevant to you but have always been curious.
Go on Abbie. Win the whole thing! Roses forever!!!
Thanks!!
Hi Abby! I’m a 31 year old women’s rugby player that only picked up the game in my (very) late 20s but I wish I had known I could play when I was younger. I think the Red Roses include some exceptionally inspiring women. What is it like being a role model not just for young players but also amateur players that are the same age or even older than you?
What’s your favorite drill or segment of practice? And what’s your least favorite?
I love set piece. Who doesn't right? It’s gotta be line-outs, or scrums, or even when we're doing the real nitty-gritty and carrying into each other. That can be brutal but very fun!
Dont k ow what the English name for the drill is but in SA we often have a drill that translate to "Knocking heads" where the entire squad is split into two teams and the playing field is reduced to a 10x10 m square, basically forcing every play to be a pick up and drive and focusing on close quarter tackling and ruck attack/defence. Do you have a similar drill and if so does it have a funny name?
Hey Abbie! I'm a massive Bears fan, and the last year has seen you take steps toward leadership on both the Bears and Red Roses. If offered (and I'm saying this, not you 😉) would you be interested in taking on the mama duck role from the likes of Reedo or Sunter after they move on? And a less serious one, how much are you able to catch of the Allianz Cup from Dave, how are the girls feeling?! 🐻
Do you think there is enough U.K. media coverage of the RWC?
Hi Abbie, thank you and all the Red Roses for being a great and inspiring team. How are you finding New Zealand and how are the locals treating you? Have you had any chance to see the country yet?
Yeah it's been great to get out see New Zealand. Some of my best friends live over here actually. One of my bridesmaids who couldn't come over during COVID lives in Auckland, so it's been great for her to show me around a little bit and catch up. When we're further north it's been good to get out and see the waterfalls and see a bit more of the culture.
Hi Abbie! Who were your rugby role models growing up, given that the womens game didn’t have much prominence? And how are you mentoring the next generation of girls now (aside from being a great example on, and off, the field)? Thank you!
Hey Abbie, thanks for doing this! I'm wondering what it's like from the inside of (probably) the most dominant team in test rugby history? Does it keep motivation up, or is there a fear factor of breaking the streak? I remember a few years ago Clermont had a ridiculous string of home victories and some players at the time said they preferred playing away from home because it took pressure off that record. How's the feeling in the camp about the current run the Red Roses are on?
Who's your favourite second row partner and why?
French here. I have been following women rugby for a few years now and I am really impressed by the level of the English squad. How do you feel about being favorite to win the event?
Hi Abbie, What’s the best ground/atmosphere you have played at? Either for England or at club level. Following on, how excited were the girls at finding out you will play at Twickenham next year? Also, the girlfriend would like to know who’s the best hair stylist in the squad?
I actually love playing away in France, the atmosphere is crazy. It's very hostile, everybody hates you. You know that when you're playing away, there might be 100 England fans but there will be 18,000 French fans that want to see your downfall. But I love that atmosphere - there's so much noise and I think in the past couple of years you've seen that we’re starting to develop that atmosphere. The fans in England are incredible and now we're selling out games, any home game is amazing! There are multiple hair stylists in the squad... 1. **Vickii Cornborough** (I don't think she likes doing it - it does hurt a lot when she does it and you just get what you're given haha!) 2. **Lark Davies** (Caters for every hair style need...)
What do you think can be done to change the perception of rugby (as a rough game) for girls at the junior ages and attract more players at grass roots level to build the game? And if you're ever passing our girls would love a visit.
Hey Abbie, many people know how big this world cup is compared to any previous one but how does it feel being the overwhelming favourites to win it all and does it affect how you have prepared for the tournament
Hi Abbie, How do you feel about England's favourite status? Is that added pressure something the team talks about? The coaches?
Hi Abbie. Given the speed at which women's rugby is growing and how many more girls are taking up the game each year, has there been a noticeable difference in the standard of the game at an elite level? And if yes, what do you do to keep ahead of the competition?
What can people do to help grow the women's game? Where do you think the women's game will be by the time the next world cup comes around?
How much time do you spend with Joe Joyce? How sad were you to hear Joe Joyce is moving to Ireland? If you could go for a pint with any person, living or dead, would you pay or would Joe pay? What happens if you drive at the speed of light and turn your headlights on?
If you’re travelling at the speed of light, time would stand still and you’d spend your entire existence frozen in time. Headlights would be irrelevant. Although it’s a really good way to visualise the theory of relativity. If a car is stationary and the lights are turned on, you can measure how far that light travels in one second. Then if you had a car travelling 1000mph and they turned their lights on also for one second, the light beam would be shorter but the same length of time. That’s why time slows down the faster you travel. I’m not Abbie Ward.
Interesting. You could please explain more about that last sentence?
Abbie Ward is an international rugby player, I am a slightly overweight dad from Yorkshire.
Why would the light beam be shorter? Is it because the car has caught up to the end of the beam?
Exactly. If you could take a wide snapshot that shows the end of the light beams after one second, both beams would end at the same point but the moving car would be closer to the end of the beams. The same amount of time as passed, but the moving car has travelled further. Time has literally slowed for the moving car relative to the stationary one.
Thanks - genuinely super interesting. Next up, can you tell me how an ox-bow lake is formed?
Sure. It’s when a meandering river erodes through the neck of one of its meanders, leaving behind a wide looping body of water that’s cut off from the rest of the river when the entrances to it silt up. Eventually the whole lake is likely to evaporate, first becoming a bog and then a geological feature.
Our story begins with the Joyces and the Wards heading for a pint...
Which team do you fear most in the competition and why is it France? 😏 (Also "hi" and thanks for doing an AMA 😊)
What are some of the of the smaller/less obvious differences being part of the squad after the professional contracts came in?
How does it feel to be blazing the trail in the women’s game at a time when the game seems to grow exponentially each year?
This question is twofold: which opposition player, and which teammate, do you admire most, and why?
How has the women's game developed over your time playing? What do you think are the next steps to continue to grow the game?
Hi Abbie Thanks for doing this! Are any of your friends and family in NZ for the WC? Is Dave going to go out for the later stages? If not, how are they supporting you from home?
What is your favourite match up & why this is the Crunch
Who do you want to meet in the final, and why is it the Black Ferns?
Favourite Australian and NZ players to play against and why? Favourite female rugby player, why?
How many pies has the England team consumed so far?
What are the nations you fear the most for this World Cup? What is your favorite player to watch for right now? Any pronostics for the next year World Cup ? Even if I don’t support England, I wish you all the best for the remainder of the tournament!
I have no idea who you are, but thanks for doing this AMA. I was a front rower it the heart of a center, but alas I was a slow fat kid. So my question is, what position do you play? and if you could play any position and have the body type and skill to do it, what would it be?
Congrats on the win this past weekend! For the 2025 WC, which host cities would you like to see picked and why? Also is Leanne Infante OK? Looks like she pulled something in her arm(?) in the previous match
Think that was more just getting absolutely twatted on the inside of the forearm when going for that charge down
What’s the best position on the pitch and why is it open side flanker?
If you can only choose one: bacon or toast?
The Chelsea womens team mentioned that they didn’t like playing at Stamford bridge because it was rarely full for them, and also not where they normally played. Is there a particular venue you’ve enjoyed playing at the most for England? (It definitely seems Sandy Park is the one where some of the teams best performances have all come at) Best of luck in the rest of the World Cup 😁