England and Harlequins winger Abby Dow, a 2022 Rugby World Cup winner, has announced her immediate retirement from international rugby at the age of 26 to pursue a career outside of the sport. The unexpected decision removes a key player from the Red Roses squad just over a year before the first-ever British & Irish Lions Women tour and amid growing concerns over player retention in the face of a new, privately-backed league, R360.
Dow’s departure is a meaningful loss for England, widely considered one of the dominant forces in women’s rugby. She scored a try on her debut against Canada in 2017 and quickly established herself as a prolific try-scorer, culminating in a starring role in England’s World Cup victory in New Zealand. The move comes as the British & Irish Lions and major rugby unions attempt to stem an outflow of players to R360, a new competition that threatens to disrupt the established rugby landscape.
England head coach Simon Middleton expressed his disappointment but respected Dow’s decision. “I personally believe that we are losing arguably the best right winger in world rugby at the peak of her powers,but we fully respect her decision to move on to a new chapter. We will miss having her in our surroundings, and we look forward to seeing her succeed – as we certainly know she will – in whatever she chooses to do next.”
The British & Irish Lions have joined the major unions in banning players who join R360, aiming to protect the integrity of the 2027 tour to New Zealand. In a statement released on Wednesday, the Lions affirmed their support for the constituent unions’ stance, stating that any player participating in R360 will be ineligible for selection.
“This is the first ever Lion’s Women tour,a historic moment for women’s rugby and we want it to be the best it can be,” the statement read. “With the tour just over a year and a half away, we believe it is important that players who may be selected are playing in established leagues that provide certainty on calendar and playing schedule.”
