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Women's Internationals

Alisha Joyce-Butchers announces pregnancy


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

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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

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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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Latest Long Reads

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'Outcome hardly surprising' as Australian fans hope for Wallabies backlash

Les Kiss second-row experiment backfired at Twickenham and Australia fans are entitled to be alarmed by familiar failings on both sides of the ball.

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Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

Already compared with the great Michael Jones, the New Zealand back-row showcased the full range of his skills against Scotland.

73

Comments on RugbyPass

T
Tom 7 minutes ago
'Outcome hardly surprising' as Australian fans hope for Wallabies backlash

I’ve not followed his career with any particular interest but has Kiss achieved anything significant? I'm not really aware of it. I understand the desire for a homegrown coach but if a good candidate isn't available right now, don't force it. England forced it with an inexperienced coach in Borthwick and it's taken years for him to get us playing what looks to be decent rugby.

4 Go to comments
T
Tom 10 minutes ago
'Outcome hardly surprising' as Australian fans hope for Wallabies backlash

England too left a lot of their big ball carriers on the bench but the Aus starting for 15 seemed to really struggle to get over the gainline. I suppose this shows that if your strength in depth is limited you'd be better off getting your best 15 on the pitch and focusing on getting the first 60 right before worrying about the last 20. The Australian team on the pitch at the end was far more dangerous.

4 Go to comments
P
PMcD 10 minutes ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

The Autumn Internationals have always worked for England so I wasn’t sure if they should tinker with that structure but I do think this competition has grown into something more meaningful and with so much pressure on the qualification, it does feel like it’s forcing teams to go after attack to score the BP’s and maximise the points.

It’s definitely added a slight extra edge of competition to the normal Autumn fixtures.



...

73 Go to comments
P
PMcD 15 minutes ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

He was almost unplayable since coming back from his last injury and he just makes something from nothing and is so hard to bring down and fights his way through contact.

With Arundell being totally shut out by England, I guess Murley or Marchant are the next cabs on the rank but Caluori scored 2 tries for ENG A on Friday night and played very well within an attacking structure, so whilst I don’t think it was the original plan they may well give him a go against Japan and then the AB’s.



...

73 Go to comments
U
UN 18 minutes ago
The make-or-break position decision for the Wallabies in November

On which point, on your supreme doubt or the claim that the issues are more effort than they are systematic. Dont know how you would think the plus 20+ margins losses dont stem from the way that they defend. Every pundit except for you has been calling this defense pattern passive and needs to be reviewed since BIL. All the games that they have won have been high scoring games. Being able to have effort when you attack and miraculously lose it when you defend is very interesting to me.

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P
PMcD 23 minutes ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

Did you see The Times article about Borthwick?

It’s the same journalist that broke the Eddie Jones bullying story just before he was fired, so the timing does feel a little deliberate but the claims and comments have clearly come from within the camp and it puts another difficult light on Borthwick’s style and man management.



...

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P
PMcD 25 minutes ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

I was surprised because they had limited time and training sessions, so instead of playing the pair that train together each day in Itoje/Martin, we weirdly names Chessum at 6 but then played him at lock all game with itoje and played Coles at 6.

I expect the front rows to switch for the AB’s, Itoje/Martin to start and probably Chessum, Ben Curry, Earl to start.



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B
Bazzallina 27 minutes ago
Henry Pollock grabs the limelight as England claim record win over Australia

Yup I caught those dude went up at front and he threw it after he landed and I don’t think it was a courtesy jump

33 Go to comments
B
Bazzallina 29 minutes ago
Jason Ryan addresses All Blacks' maul struggles against Scotland

Yup there’s to many maul tries some innocuous penalty that might not even be right results in a try and to iften a yellow Super NPC URC Prem u name it hookers scoring multiple times multiple games and reffing normally only seens to apply to def team ( dudes on attack join maul in front of the ball change bind and get ahead of it all the time ) but do we need even more whistle

3 Go to comments
P
PMcD 34 minutes ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

Frizell is injured. The injury said 3 weeks (since Bledisloe II), so he should be an option for the ENG game, where they may need his greater physicality in defence, especially for the tackle and ruck clearance.

Injuries have not been kind for Rennie during his tenure so far.



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M
Mzilikazi 40 minutes ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

I’m a lot more positive than many, Nick. It was very painful to watch, and yet I had admiration for the game England played. I truly think it was much more that England came out and played really well……one could perhaps unkindly say despite being coached by Borthwick….., than that the WB’s played really badly. Defence was too often poor. For example in that killer try just after the halftime restart, Billy Pollard was badly at fault in not correctly reading what he needed to do…..he was asleep in the Bled. game when Roigard made a break from a breakdown, not good.

And yet there were many good passages of play by the WB’s as a team, and as individuals. The scrum clearly dominated the England unit as long as the starters were there. Angus Bell was very good all round. I have not seen anyone comment on the scrum dominance. That is a worry for England, and I will say I had expected our scrum to struggle somewhat. That is a clear WB positive.



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J
JW 41 minutes ago
Jason Ryan addresses All Blacks' maul struggles against Scotland

Well said Ryan, when the hosts have to “add backs” they can hardly be described as having a powerful maul.

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J
JW 45 minutes ago
New Zealand put Scotland to sword despite Ewan Ashman hat-trick

Yes as yet theres no evidence of delivering better collective performances yet.

Beauden Barrett was done well to play a different game under Rennie, mostly while at the back, and he is still Beauden of course, but you will find it’s much hard for Dmac to change his untemperate nature. Sure, he seemed to accomplish that a couple of years ago against Ireland, but in the pure selectorial change between the two you are going to get two completely different All Black playing style and tactics. Thats not even factoring in how much more potential he has to get a team playing great rugby.



...

45 Go to comments
d
d 55 minutes ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

I think he’s been a much better captain than Ardie, you can see by the way he engages with the ref. It’s a shame he’s been called up just when the competition for his position has peaked.

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G
GS 57 minutes ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

See that Feyi-Waboso and Tom Curry are out for the rest of the internationals - massive loss to England and to the ABs, because think they need to face the challenge of these guys.

On a funnier note, see that England have brought Max Hicks into the squad -



...

73 Go to comments
d
d 59 minutes ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

I don’t think so. He doesn’t lack aggression but is a penalty magnet with half the skills of Lakai.

73 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

Aye😁

73 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

Well said👍

73 Go to comments
O
OtagomanII 1 hour ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

He may get a chance aginst England if Wales goes well. It could make or break him in the coaches eyes.

73 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
Why ‘generational talent’ Peter Lakai is the new ‘man in black’ for all seasons

Indeed, very subdued, hardly fired a shot….

73 Go to comments
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