Keswick’s Abbie Ward marked a new era for women’s rugby in England by introducing her new born baby to fans of Bristol Bears ahead of the first game in the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby league.
Abbie was loudly cheered as she brought 17-week-old Hallie onto the Ashton Gate pitch prior to the game against Sale Sharks in which the Bears celebrated an emphatic 48-5 win.
And the occasion was given an added boost with 30-year-old Abbie, an England second row player, scoring a simple ‘dot down’ try just 13 minutes into the game.
Abbie had set her sights on returning to playing for the start of the domestic season after giving birth to her first child in July. She was chosen to start the game by her husband David Ward, an ex-Harlequins player and England international, whom she married in August 2020. He is now head coach of the Bears.
Abbie, whose maiden name was Scott, is a former pupil at Keswick School and really made a name for herself while playing for Harlequins.
The new league for women’s rugby has been rebranded from Premier 15s and got off to a flying start with a glut of tries being scored in the opening fixtures.
