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Women's Internationals

Alisha Joyce-Butchers announces pregnancy

Wales' Alisha Butchers (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)

Wales flanker Alisha Joyce-Butchers has announced that she is expecting a baby with wife and team-mate Jasmine Joyce-Butchers.

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The duo announced they are expecting on Instagram, with a due date of November 2025 meaning Alisha Joyce-Butchers will miss the Rugby World Cup this summer.

The 27-year-old was not involved in Wales’ 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign, with reports of her suffering from a virus, however, with today’s announcement, the pair are delighted to share their news to the wider public.

Video Spacer

Abbie Ward: Bump in the Road | trailer

Bump in the Road explores the challenges faced by professional female athletes and all working mothers, featuring England lock, Abbie Ward. Watch the full documentary on RugbyPass TV

Watch now

Video Spacer

Abbie Ward: Bump in the Road | trailer

Bump in the Road explores the challenges faced by professional female athletes and all working mothers, featuring England lock, Abbie Ward. Watch the full documentary on RugbyPass TV

Watch now

Both players are professionally contracted with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and play their club rugby with Bristol Bears which in 2023 oversaw the return of club team mate and England lock Abbie Ward to the pitch after navigating training through pregnancy and returning to the field post-partum.

Ward’s story was documented on ‘A Bump in the Road’ which can be watched on the RugbyPass App.

The WRU said Alisha Joyce-Butchers will return to the squad in a controlled manner under its new performance maternity policy.

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Comments on RugbyPass

C
CO 10 minutes ago
Everyone knows Robertson is not supposed to be doing the coaching

Hansen or Robertson gone? I'm fine with both exiting as the results been cataclysmically terrible, even in Fosters darkest days were we handed our ass in a sling by the Boks.

Who is CC?



...

34 Go to comments
B
Ben 11 minutes ago
Bok superstar may exit South African rugby with giant offer tabled

When a story sows unease about an unnamed person doing something that, if it were true, would upset you, and there's a picture of two or several people, you can know for sure without reading that 1. The suggested upset is greatly exaggerated and a massive stretch of the definition of said upset, and 2. Given that it is not that much of an upset at all, it could be in reference to either or any of the people pictured, and you wouldn't care, but 3. It is probably about the person you'd care less about, if they were to do it.

Other clickbait formulae that make me sick are “Xyz person gives blunt verdict on Abc person” or “Xyz person hits out at / back at Abc person”.



...

3 Go to comments
N
NB 30 minutes ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

So you’re saying two unproven Test novices in Atkinson or Ojomoh are set in stone but a 2025 Lion in Tommy Freeman is going to be shunted around between three diff spots??

That makes no sense at all.



...

220 Go to comments
J
JO 30 minutes ago
We are at peak 'Bok-flation' in this Rugby World Cup cycle

Bok Flation? You need to go back to being a financial analyst and auditor. Leave rugby alone. Please. Do us all that favour.

70 Go to comments
N
NB 34 minutes ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

Before he got injured he won 13 caps at 12. He was in the team at 12 with Slade at 13. That was the ‘status quo’.

When Eng scored their decisive try v NZ he swapped into 12 to provide the scoring pass for Dingwall.



...

220 Go to comments
N
NB 43 minutes ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

When Marler and Cole were propping together in the second half the Eng scrum started moving forwards again, so I think the key was picking those two plus Jamie George to start.

220 Go to comments
N
NB 45 minutes ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

Francois Louw is prob another who could start at 8 in the modern game, a bit like Marcell Coetzee. Strong enough to carry but also a lot of ‘seven dog’ in em.

220 Go to comments
N
NB 47 minutes ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

All those RL type sprints back into position after a tackle??😅

220 Go to comments
N
NB 49 minutes ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

All that’s missing is the Aussie beer!

220 Go to comments
N
NB 50 minutes ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

Yeah I forgot Cozza started at Bris and I remember Pete Stiff. He’d prob be playing prop now like John Orwin!

220 Go to comments
N
NB 52 minutes ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

Max Malins is another guy with a high ceiling who we have prob never seen the best of in an Eng jersey, he might yet get more time at 15 as he has a lot of the same qualities as George Furbank.

220 Go to comments
N
NB 54 minutes ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

I think TC is competing at 6 in the current format with Guy Pepper and Jack Kenningham. Underhill and Ben Curry are pure 7s cos hey don’t have any lineout value. Earl at 8 cos he is by far the best carrier.

220 Go to comments
J
JW 56 minutes ago
Everyone knows Robertson is not supposed to be doing the coaching

Yeah it’s not actually that I’m against the idea this is not good enough, I just don’t know whos responsible for the appalling selections, whether the game plan will work, whether it hasn’t worked because Razor has had too much input or too little input, and whether were better or worse for the coachs not making it work against themselves.

I think that’s the more common outlook rather than people panicking mate, I think they just want something to happen and that needs an outlet. For instance, yes, we were still far too good for most in even weaker areas like the scrum, but it’s the delay in the coaches seemingly admitting that it’s been dissapoint. How can they not see DURING THE GAME it didn’t go right and say it? What are they scared of? Do they think the estimation of the All Blacks will go down in peoples minds? And of course thats not a problem if it weren’t for the fact they don’t do any better the next game! And then they finally seem to see and things get better. I’ve had endless discussions with Chicken about what’s happening at half time, and the lack of any real change. That problem is momentum is consistent with their being NO progress through the year. The team does not improve. The lineout is improved and is good. The scrum is weak and stays weak. The misfires and stays misfiring. When is the new structure following Lancasters Leinster going to click?



...

34 Go to comments
N
NB 57 minutes ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

So who is the ‘1’? Marcus??

220 Go to comments
C
CT 58 minutes ago
Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth ban for 'intentional' foul play confirmed

EM a frustrated frog look forward my boy the past is finished typically French complaining and moaning about everything go on strike

84 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

Yep not a bad outcome all round P.

220 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

High kicks are the new set-piece Toko. There are probably at least 25 of em in every game now.

220 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

A balanced response T. What we can say is that this England squad at least wants to find out where it stands, and test itself against the best. PMA.

220 Go to comments
C
CT 1 hour ago
Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth ban for 'intentional' foul play confirmed

I thought you might have been a frog 🐸 I'll send you some tissues 😢

84 Go to comments
C
CT 1 hour ago
Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth ban for 'intentional' foul play confirmed

Stop the opioid it's mushing up your grey matter

84 Go to comments
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