Ward was part of the England team beaten by New Zealand five years ago and is determined to avoid the same fate
For the past five years, Abbie Ward has carried a polaroid photo in her purse. It is a print of her white jersey, worn and hung up in the changing room, which she instinctively snapped after England fell short to New Zealand in the 2017 World Cup final.
The Red Roses had been 40 minutes away from defending their title, leading 17-10 at the break, before being outgunned by a dominant Black Ferns outfit in a breathless second half. The Bristol Bears lock counts it among the worst experiences of her career, but was determined to immortalise the sadness that consumed her.
“I never want to feel like I did in that moment again,” says Ward. “I knew that if I worked hard, there might be another opportunity to be in a similar position. For me, it’s a reminder to work hard and not take anything for granted.”
Ward does not like to look at the photo too often. She simply knows it is there – a constant reminder of the collective pain that has hung over her England team ever since. She has another polaroid photo in her purse which rekindles happier memories – one celebrating with her husband, Dave, after winning the Premier 15s with her former club Harlequins, in 2021.