Four England women's rugby players will miss the upcoming Six Nations as they prepare to become mothers. Zoe Stratford, Lark Atkin-Davies and Rosie Galligan are expecting their first children, leaving the squad without key players for their title defence against Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.
Kelsey Gentles, an England rugby league international who returned to the sport after giving birth, says the players should embrace the transformation. Gentles left the Women's Super League as a winger in 2023 and returned as a prop in 2024, scoring the winning try in the Grand Final for York Valkyrie. 'There's no cookie-cutter template to follow when you come back,' she said. 'Pregnancy isn't easy. Every woman and her body reacts differently.'
Gentles faced challenges including extreme morning sickness and pelvic problems that left her barely able to walk. She had to learn a new position and adjust to shifting priorities. 'Mentally, the person you are pre-baby and the person you are when you come back is very different – and you have a child you have to keep alive,' she added.
Charlotte Caslick, a World Cup winner and Olympic champion in rugby sevens, is also expecting her first child. She acknowledges the difficulty of returning to sevens, which she calls 'a young person's game' with an average age of 23. Caslick hopes to mix sevens and 15s to extend her career but admits life will 'change pretty drastically.' She has seen opponents like New Zealand's Dhys Faleafaga return to the circuit with twins.
Caslick found it challenging to keep her pregnancy secret before the 12-week mark, having to make excuses for missing the Perth leg of the HSBC sevens tour. 'It was hard making up reasons for why I'm not playing! It's much easier being honest with people,' she said.
Other athletes have successfully returned after childbirth, including tennis player Elina Svitolina, footballer Joy Fawcett, and sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Gentles draws inspiration from Holly Speakman, who played rugby league until age 42 and was a grandmother. 'You come back different,' Gentles concluded.
