Atkin-Davies on pregnancy: Telling England coaches and taking inspiration from teammate Ward

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but in the best way possible. I feel very grateful for everything that’s happened, obviously navigating this new journey of being pregnant and training, whilst being an expectant mum and everything that comes with that. But I’m really enjoying it so far.”

The words of Lark Atkin-Davies, World Cup winner, Red Roses hooker and mum-to-be who had a far from usual end to 2025.

After winning a World Cup on home soil in front of thousands of fans and her friends and family, the news only got better from there. Just a month after being crowned a world champion, Atkin-Davies fell pregnant with her first child.

“Obviously, winning the World Cup was just an amazing experience. Prior to the World Cup, I decided regardless of outcome, I just wanted to have a really good experience and that’s certainly what I did,” said the 31-year old.

In a world where previously professional female athletes, pregnancy and post-partum didn’t really mix, Atkin-Davies acknowledges how times have changed for the better, with the luxury of leaning on experienced and familiar faces to help her on her own motherhood journey.

Being both England and Bristol team mates, Atkin-Davies has a close relationship with Abbie Ward, a trailblazer for the sport in terms of becoming pregnancy mid-career and returning to the pitch able to compete again at the highest level.

“Getting pregnant was always on the radar, and obviously having Abbie, who’s also pregnant, I think there’s six or seven weeks between us, who’s also done it before with Hallie (Ward’s daughter) is great.

“Seeing Abbie go through pregnancy and returning was a big moment for me. Don’t get me wrong it looked hard at times, but I think seeing her do it and the moment of seeing her after the World Cup final with Hallie on the pitch with the World Cup trophy, I thought ‘I’d love to have that’ and while I still feel capable of doing so, why wouldn’t I give it a go?

“She’s been so influential, she’s dealt with loads of questions for me, she was someone that I chose to tell quite early on into finding out I was pregnant.”

It can sometimes be easy to compare especially looking back on Ward’s achievements since child birth and the potential argument that her post-baby performances have actually exceeded pre-birth standards. However, Atkin-Davies is not putting any pressure on herself.

 

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“I do have all intentions to return to rugby, but you never know what’s going to happen. I have an open mind. You don’t know what it’s going to be like, the changes of having a baby and I think having that sort of perspective and ability to be like, ‘okay, this is my plan, but there might be changes along the way’ is really important.”

This sense of perspective came about through learnings on the rugby pitch, namely Atkin-Davies’s Rugby World Cup experience back in 2022.

“During the last World Cup, I was very rugby focussed and probably the balance wasn’t quite right. I had this tunnel vision and then got injured a couple weeks beforehand, so the World Cup itself wasn’t exactly the journey I thought it would be.

“I spent the first five weeks in New Zealand rehabbing incredibly hard to be able to actually get on the pitch. I didn’t play any of the pool games, I played in the quarter-finals, and what should have been a 12 week injury with surgery was rehabbed in five. So that experience in itself and then obviously the loss of the World Cup final, I think, was massive in terms of learning for me.

“I now have a bit more balance and perspective compared to then. Obviously, you can look at outcomes, you can set big goals, but it is very much about the process. And so going into the 2025 World Cup, I wanted to enjoy all of the preseason, regardless of how tough it was at times. I thought ‘I’m never going to get a home World Cup in my career again.’”

Across the PWR players have fallen pregnant, given birth and returned, however, Bristol Bears appear to be the team where celebrated internationals have undertaken the journey most regularly, including Ward, Alisha Butchers and now Atkin-Davies, in their various stages.

“I kind of always thought that if I wanted to have a family that it might mean retirement and with Jamie, my husband, it’s something that’s always been spoken about.

“Alisha has been predominantly training with Wales, but obviously I’m buzzing to see her back and how her and Jazz (Jasmine Joyce) are navigating their baby boy Ralphie and how much they’re loving it. It’s nice to be able to talk to people who have been through it because there aren’t many.

“I’ve not been out of rugby for this long ever. The longest injury I’ve had is 10 weeks. And so then you look at pregnancy and you’re like, ‘okay, I’m out for over a year’. But in my mind, I know it’s for the best reasons and I do genuinely believe that it will make me a better person and player for it.”

In terms of being out of the game for an extended period, Atkin-Davies admits she was a bit nervous of telling her club as well as the England coaches. But she needn’t have worried about Red Roses head coach John Mitchell.

“Mitch was so happy (when I told him) and it was funny because I chose to say that I had a neck injury before telling everyone after my 12 weeks scan. And, he was like, ‘I did a question when I heard about the neck injury!’ I have a really good relationship with Mitch, we talk a lot. He’s a very family person.

“I said to him that I hadn’t announced it to everyone yet, so did he mind keeping the news to himself? But he asked if he could tell Jules, his wife. I was like, ‘yeah, of course you can tell Jules!’ he was so excited to tell her.”

The vibe of England camp has seemed to change in recent years and potentially mellowed. Of course England remain world class athletes on the pitch but off it, there feels to be more flexibility and bend, a sentiment Atkin-Davies agrees with.

“Some of my favourite moments from the World Cup camps was having Hallie in or our physio Kate (Tyler Chapman) with her two sons and her wife, Marlie (Packer’s) son Oliver, and we see Olivia (Sarah Hunter’s daughter) a lot! Knowing that our environment is incredibly supportive when it comes to families is really important.

“I think what we’ve got really right at the Red Roses is when we’re on pitch or training, we’re really on it, we’re focussed. But the moments where we can have fun, we do have fun and I think that’s the balance that we’ve got right over the last few years and I think Mitch has been a big driver of that.”

Atikin-Davies will miss the 2026 Women’s Six Nations but was involved in the Red Roses camp recently, and continues to be very involved with Bristol.

“I’m in club Monday, Tuesday, Thursday training, and I’m there for home games supporting or doing community activation. Training wise, I’m doing gym, running, skills, but after the first trimester, I wasn’t able to do opposed training, just to minimise the risk of bumping bumped. I wear a heart rate monitor to check I’m not going into 90% of maximum heart rate for over a minute and things like that.

“I also asked the coaches, what can I be doing to help? Whether that’s helping some of the younger players in my position. I’m still able to do units and throw in, which is quite handy, obviously I’m not doing scrums or live mauls or anything, but I can still throw, which is great, and I can offer that sort of feedback.”

With Atkin-Davies due in June 2026, England and Bristol will add another miniature human to their fan clubs. With female athletes now feeling able to have babies during their playing days, and receive the support and advice they deserve, you feel Atkin-Davies’ decision and experience so far is another feather in the cap for women’s rugby.