Who is Abbie Ward: Ten things you should know about the England lock

A key member of the Red Roses tight five, Abbie Ward is known for her lineout nous and leadership abilities.

Ten things you should know about Abbie Ward

1. Abbie Ward (née Scott) was born in Scotland, in Dumfries on 27 March 1993, and grew up in Keswick, Cumbria.

2. She first played rugby aged ten and had three brothers, which drove her competitive edge.
Her brother James, who serves in the Royal Marines, was a Great Britain downhill mountain biker.

3. She spent some time in Canada, playing for the Strathcona Druids in east Edmonton.

4. She began her senior club career at Darlington Mowden Park Sharks before joining Harlequins and won the Allianz Premier 15s with the London club in 2021.

That summer she left the Stoop having made 48 appearances to join Bristol Bears.

5. Having come through the age grades, she played for England U20 in the 2011 Nations Cup before winning her first senior cap in 2015, scoring a try on debut against Italy in the Women’s Six Nations.

6. Ward started in the 2017 Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand. She captained England for the first time against the USA in the summer of 2019.

7. She married former Harlequins hooker Dave Ward in August 2020 and he is now her coach at Bristol Bears. The pair admit to having practised lineout throwing at home together.

8. Ward was named Player of the Match in England’s final game of the 2020 Women’s Six Nations as they secured the Grand Slam.

9. She is petrified of horses. Her best friend keeps encouraging Abbie to appreciate them, but she mainly thinks they are “big and scary”.

10. Ward was named co-captain at Bristol ahead of the 2021-22 Premier 15s season along with fellow England international Amber Reed.

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