'A sister' - the social media tributes to the career of Abby Dow

Yesterday Women’s Rugby World Cup winning Red Roses wing Abby Dow announced her retirement from rugby aged 28.

Across her international career, Dow scored 50 tries in 59 Test rugby outings, won seven Women’s Six Nations titles, WXV twice and will now focus on her engineering career.

In the 24 hours since the vastly popular wing confirmed that she has moved on to horizons new, tributes have poured in across social media in tribute to Dow’s playing career.

Each of her former club sides – Wasps, Harlequins and Trailfinders Women – paid tribute to the former flyer and branded her career as “incredible”.

Dow joined Wasps in 2016 and represented the Twyford Avenue club for five years. Three years after making her England debut against Canada debut she was given her first professional contract by the RFU.

On the Red Roses’ Instagram post, Meg Jones called her former teammate as “one of the very best”, while former men’s international Lawrence Dallaglio called her year on the turf as “absolutely incredible & inspiring”.

Later in the day Rugby World Cup winning Black Fern, Ruby Tui, called the 28-year-old a “legend”. Even the official Italy rugby account said she was an “amazing player”.

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A post shared by Holly Aitchison (@hollyaitchison_)

While her 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup will largely be remembered for her crocheting and giving handmade gifts to her opposite numbers, her friendship with England playmaker Holly Aitchison burgeoned after months of rooming together in the lead-up to the competition.

In an Instagram post, Aitchison called Dow an “actual sister”, and thanked her for participating in TikToks, putting up with shopping tricks and “being authentically, unwaveringly” herself.

There were similar sentiments from Claudia Moloney-MacDonald. The pair played for Wasps together between 2018 and 2022, where they formed a close bond under the tutelage of Giselle Mather.

In a heartfelt message the 29-year-old also described Dow as a sister. Having played the majority of their careers together, it came as little surprise that Moloney-MacDonald’s words carried some extra weight.

 

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A post shared by Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (@claud_macdonald)

Among other things, it was described how the duo quoted Harry Potter to one another and how she disliked Dow’s rationality, even if she did not want it.

These handful of well wishes barely scratch the surface. But they go to show the character and admiration which Dow has garnered over the years.

It is undeniable that Dow could have gone on to play at the top level for many more years. Able to hang up her boots content in the knowledge she ruled the world and concentrate on her, using her degree, is nothing short of remarkable.

Yes, Abby Dow was a fantastic rugby player. But the person could well be better.