1 . Women’s sport is experiencing growth. This season, the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) league kicked off with a campaign to transform ideas of women’s rugby. Here are the stories of four remarkable women who are powered differently — born to break the stereotypes (刻板印象).
Abbie Ward, 30, Bristol Bears
Abbie has marked a successful return to the rugby field this season playing her first match since the Rugby World Cup Final in November 2021, just four months after giving birth to her daughter, Hallie. Abbie’s journey showcases a ground-breaking shift in the sport’s approach to motherhood. Abbie is eager to integrate Hallie into her playing life, maintaining a balance between being a mother and a professional sports person.
Jodie Ounsley, 22, Exeter Chiefs
Jodie attracts audiences as a deaf athlete. As the first deaf person to be selected for the England 7s squad, she in 2020 won Young Deaf Sports Personality of the Year. Jodie detailed, “I’ve had parents messaging me saying ‘My daughter with a cochlear(耳蜗的) implant hasseen you online playing rugby, and wants to do it, too.’”
Rachel Lund, 29, Gloucester-Hartpury
Rachel is a proud member of the “dual career club”, a nickname Rachel has given to the PWR players taking other regular jobs around their training and match days. She devotes herself to a full-time role as a physiotherapist (理疗师) with her commitment to female sport extending beyond the field. According to Rachel, “Research on female health is minimal at best. I’m keen on improving female health.”
Amanda Swartz, 23, Leicester Tigers
Amanda’s journey from a professional figure skater to a professional rugby player shows the determination that defines her athletic journey. Seeking a new challenge beyond skating, she discovered rugby. The discipline and goal-oriented drive experienced during her figure skating days became invaluable in her rugby change. Amanda has accepted her new sporting path and takes pride in promoting the visibility of rugby in Sweden.
1. Who is a disabled player?| A．Abbie Ward. | B．Jodie Ounsley. | C．Rachel Lund. | D．Amanda Swartz. |
| A．She focuses on female health. | B．She was fired by the former team. |
| C．She has just given birth to a baby. | D．She was a professional figure skater. |
| A．They experience a tough life. |
| B．They have the same athletic journey to rugby. |
| C．They change people’s view of women’s rugby. |
| D．They urge women to improve their mental health. |
