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While she was on a stretcher and carried off the Kingsholm field with her broken leg in a splint and an oxygen mask helping her breathe, Abby Dow’s World Cup dream was shattered.
The Red Roses wing, 24, has admitted that. In April, Dow suffered a ‘horrific’ injury in England’s Six Nations victory over Wales in Gloucester. Play was interrupted for nearly 15 minutes while she was being treated before being taken to hospital. It was Dow’s first serious injury and required surgery.
“I remember crying in my hospital bed when people told me the news that it (the World Cup) was extremely unlikely,” she said. Dow would be out of circulation for nine months.
Abby Dow suffered a ‘horrific’ injury in England’s Six Nations victory over Wales in April
England are firm favorites to win the World Cup in New Zealand as they have won their last 25 games, but Dow’s chances of making what would have been the greatest moment of her career so far seemed only months ago. small. Her recovery, frankly, was remarkable. With the help of the England medical team, a tight-knit support network and no small sacrifice of himself, the Wesps back will be fit again soon enough to be on Simon Middleton’s squad.
“The growth I have been able to achieve with everyone who has helped me has been phenomenal,” said Dow, who arrived in New Zealand last weekend for the kick-off of the World Cup on October 8.
“I was told I would be out for nine months. Then we tried to get it down to six. Now we’re trying to squeeze it down a bit more. The only other guy who’s had a break like me is Will Evans from Harlequins. He came back in eight to nine months.
“It was really nice to be able to talk to him and understand what this injury would be like. I have never had a serious injury or surgery before. So having that support and being able to plan ahead helped a lot in how I could get back.”
Play was interrupted for almost 15 minutes while she was being treated before being taken to hospital
Dow was half woman, half machine during her recovery, using five different devices desperately trying to speed up the healing process. One targeted her broken leg bone and another helped improve movement in her joints. The recovery process was closely supervised by Red Roses physio Emily Ross.
Dow’s friends and family also played a key role in driving her to appointments when she couldn’t do it herself.
Dow said, “The operation itself was quite a major operation. The surgeon can’t say, “You’re going to make it,” but afterward, Emily said we were going to try.
“For the first two, three, or months, the million-dollar question was whether I was on the right track. Getting people to say it was a possibility, going from unlikely to very likely and then being selected has made it a very happy transition. But it hasn’t been good for my stress level!’
Dow’s raw speed and eye for the line meant England head coach Simon Middleton still selected her for the World Cup
Dow’s raw speed and eye for the line meant England head coach Middleton still selected her, despite traveling to New Zealand last Friday, not quite fit.
England are hoping to have Dow available for their World Cup opener with Fiji at Auckland’s Eden Park on the first day of the tournament.
“It would have been a bigger gamble not to take her,” Middleton said of Dow. “We want her to be available for Fiji, say, because what we probably wouldn’t want to do is bet her against France.
‘But we’re not taking any chances with her.
“We are really aware that we need to build some trust in her as well. It’s not as easy as getting her physically on the field. She looks in great shape.
“Her attitude is fantastic and she can’t wait to play. I am extremely happy for Abby and for our employees who have practically moved in with her for the past six months!
“She is ahead of where we thought she would be and it’s refreshing that we can say that because it’s been a really tough ride for her.
“If we can get her into the park and anywhere near her best form, we know we’re ahead.”
Dow acknowledged that if England’s rugby players were still amateur rather than fully professional, they would never have made it to New Zealand.
England hope to have Dow available for their World Cup opener with Fiji on October 8
“I’m lucky enough to have a professional contract and to put all my time and effort into repairing my leg,” Dow said.
England will meet Fiji, France and South Africa in the group stage of the World Cup. It will take a shock of gigantic proportions not to reach the final.
They really should win everything given their amazing winning run and status as arguably the world’s best team.
Middleton’s players embrace that position.
“You always hear the horror stories of that person who was in shape and then all of a sudden they get injured and they miss,” Dow said.
“We’ve been building for this event for five years and the thought ‘it’s me’ went through my head. I am so grateful that I could be back in time.