Abby Dow
Date of birth (1997-09-29) 29 September 1997
Place of birthSlough, England
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight72 kg (159 lb; 11 st 5 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Current team Ealing Trailfinders Women
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2017–2022 Wasps - (-)
2022–2023 Harlequins ()
2023– Ealing Trailfinders ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2017
2017–		 England U20s
England		 -
31		 (-)
(130)
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2015–2016 England U18s

Abigail Dow (born 29 September 1997, Slough) is an English rugby player. She is a member of the England women's national rugby team and a winger for Ealing Trailfinders Women at club level.[1][2] In November 2023 she was nominated for the World Rugby Women's 15s Player of the Year.[3]

International career

Dow made her England debut in the 2017 Old Mutual Wealth Series against Canada women's national rugby union team, where she scored five tries in her first two appearances.[2]

During the 2018 Women's Six Nations Championship, she started three of England's matches and scored three tries. England finished in second place.[2]

She featured once during the 2019 Women's Six Nations Championship, scoring a try as England defeated Wales. England went on to win the grand slam.[2]

She played again for England in the 2020 Women's Six Nations Championship, scoring four tries in three matches and becoming a Grand Slam winner for the second time.[4] In 2020, she was awarded a professional contract with the England Women's Rugby team.[2]

In February 2021 she was considered England’s first choice full back.[5] She missed the first match of the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship due to a family bereavement, but returned for England's 67-3 win over Italy where she scored two of England's nine tries.[6][7] England won the championship outright, with Dow scoring ten points for the team across the course of the tournament.[8] She was named in the England squad for the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup held in New Zealand in October and November 2022.[9] She suffered a head injury in the final, due to a high tackle.[10]

Playing in the Six Nations in 2023, Dow scored four tries against Italy.[11]

Club career

In 2016, Dow joined Wasps Ladies, where she played as a right wing. She was given a professional contract with the club in 2020.[12]

Following the Rugby World Cup 2021, Dow joined Harlequins for the 2022-23 season of the Allianz Premier 15s.[13]

In May 2023, Dow was announced as the first signing for Ealing Trailfinders Women for their maiden season in the Allianz Premier 15s (2023–24).[14]

Early life and education

Dow started playing rugby at about five years old. Her dad, Paul Dow, coached at Maidenhead Rugby club so she started out there, later moving to Reading to play for the girls' team. Her sister, Ruth, also played for Reading. Both sisters were chosen for the England South West Women’s rugby sevens side.[15] Ruth played flanker and played in the Premiership for Wasps and for England U20s before a temporary injury interruption.[16]

Dow's brother, Chris Dow, also played for Maidenhead.[2]

In January 2021, Dow completed a Masters in Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London, where she achieved first class honours.[1][17]

She was a swimmer until the age of 16 when she decided to focus on rugby.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 "Get to know new England Women's wing Abigail Dow". www.rugbyworld.com. 3 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  3. ↑ "World Rugby awards: England's Marlie Packer and Abby Dow nominated for women's player of the year". BBC Sport. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  4. ↑ "RFU". www.englandrugby.com.
  5. ↑ "Abby Dow double helps Wasps to first win over Saracens since 2018". www.telegraph.co.uk.
  6. ↑ "Abby Dow to miss Red Roses Six Nations opener against Scotland". The Rugby Paper. 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  7. ↑ "Abby Dow at the double as England thrash Italy in Women's Six Nations". the Guardian. 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  8. ↑ "Women's Six Nations Fixtures". Six Nations Rugby. Archived from the original on 2018-12-23. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  9. ↑ "Rugby World Cup: Sadia Kabeya and Morwenna Talling in England squad". BBC Sport.
  10. ↑ "Merchant livid at Dow head injury assessment delay". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  11. ↑ Grey, Becky (April 2, 2023). "Women's Six Nations 2023: England 68-5 Italy - Abby Dow scores four tries in emphatic win". BBC Sport. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  12. ↑ "StackPath". www.waspsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  13. ↑ "England Flyer Abby Dow Signs for Harlequins". Harlequins. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "Welcome Abby Dow". Ealing Trailfinders. May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  15. ↑ Dan Darlington (2014-08-28). "Dow sisters selected for women's rugby sevens side at Sainsbury's Games". Windsor Express. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  16. ↑ Tom Roddy (2015-08-23). "Rugby player bounces back from serious injury to achieve high A-level grades". Maidenhead Advertiser. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  17. ↑ "England wing Dow flying flag for women in two fields". BBC Sport. February 22, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Get to know new England Women's wing Abigail Dow". Rugby World. 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
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