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Why the PWR this February is going to be box-office
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Boatman's journey through adversity: 'I had a few complications...not being able to feel my leg properly'
Ellie Boatman, Team GB and Trailfinders Women’s winger, combines elite athletic talent with openness and advocacy. She is not just a powerful back and international competitor — her story of resilience, self-acceptance and empowerment resonates far beyond the pitch.
Boatman’s rugby journey has been defined by adversity, resilience and return. After stepping away from the game when she was younger, it was her decision to play again at university that reawakened something she hadn’t realised she’d been missing.
“To be honest, I think it was just playing a team sport again and being a part of something. It kept you fit and healthy, but it was like a friendship, and I just enjoyed the game again, there was not any pressure. I just remember my first game back, getting such a buzz that I hadn’t felt in such a long time and just knowing that I wanted to keep doing that. It was like a fix that I don’t I didn’t get from anything else.”
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That sense of freedom and belonging became a turning point — not just in her rugby career, but in her personal life too. Boatman has since spoken openly about her struggles with body image and disordered eating, something she initially shared almost unintentionally.
“It was when I was at Wasps about a few years ago, I remember touching upon it publicly, not deliberately at the time, and it had quite a good reaction on social media in terms of people reaching out, saying they felt similarly, like dads reaching out about their daughters.
“And I think off the back of that reaction, I needed to keep speaking about this. We need to be more open about it because if young girls can see that athletes struggle with an eating disorder too, then they won’t feel alone if they experience something similar.”
Encouraged by the response, Boatman realised how powerful visibility could be — especially for young girls navigating similar experiences.
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“I guess I wanted to be the kind of big sister that I probably needed when I was younger. It was really scary, don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t sure how people were going to react to it, but actually it’s only ever been received positively. It’s definitely been the motivation to keep sharing and keep talking about it.”
Returning to rugby played a vital role in helping Boatman rebuild her relationship with her body. In a sport that values strength, power and diversity, she found a healthier way to view herself.
I always say this and always speak about it because I truly think that starting rugby again helped me heal on that journey because you can’t under eat in rugby. You can’t try and be as small as possible.
“Your body is your engine, and you’ve got to keep it fuelled. If you don’t, you won’t perform well, and it’s such a motivation to keep looking after yourself. I think as well in rugby, we all look so different, all have such different body types. We don’t all look the same. I know that under eating isn’t going to support that. It’s such a cool sport for that reason.”
In 2024, Boatman’s relationship with her body was tested in the most extreme way. While representing GB at the Vancouver Sevens in Canada, she suffered a severe injury.
“Last year was tough. I had a bit of an awkward incident at the back of a ruck, which long story short, resulted in all three of my hamstrings rupturing off the bone, which is quite a severe injury. It’s kind of up there with like ACL territory.”
Initially, she didn’t realise the full extent of what had happened.
“I don’t think I realised it was that bad at the time. I think I was hoping it was going to be a quick few months and I’d be back in, but I had to have surgery, and I had quite a few complications with nerve issues and just not being able to feel my leg properly. There was a time where I was worried that I would never feel the same again or not be able to get back to the pitch.”
The recovery process was long and challenging, but returning to full fitness has given Boatman a renewed appreciation for her body and her career.
“To be back fully fit and back in training, back playing against the best is a great feeling. It’s been a lot of hard graft, but I know a lot of other girls have experienced the same in rugby. I have a new level of respect for my body.”
On the pitch, Boatman may be known for her pace, but it’s the unseen work that she takes the most pride in.
“I think something that my sevens background has given me is my strong work rate and resilience. I will always try and keep going, keep running until I literally have no petrol left in the tank.
“I have been known for my speed, but I kind of want to be known for the work rate off the ball and all the unseen stuff – like being the hardest worker on the pitch. I really try and pride myself with that in training and all the unseen bits off the pitch.”
One of the defining moments of her career came at the Olympic Games — an experience she still finds difficult to fully process.
“The Olympics was a complete whirlwind and dream – sometimes I think, did that actually happen? To be at a stadium full of so many fans for a women’s rugby tournament at the Olympics was just so incredible and it’s something I will never forget.”
Despite the disappointment of being knocked out in the quarter-finals, the significance of the moment remains profound.
“Obviously, we were there to get medal. It was heartbreak, but at the same time, I was so proud to be able to call myself an Olympian, have all my family and friends there and to put women’s rugby on the map as well. It’s something that you only ever get to experience once in your life. I’ve got like a little box in my room, a few badges and things from the Olympic village that I’ll keep for the rest of my life.”
Now, Boatman is relishing her return to club rugby with Trailfinders as the PWR prepares to restart, including a fixture against Harlequins on Friday 30th January. Having been part of the women’s programme since its beginning, she has seen the club grow into a genuine contender.
“I’ve been there since day one to see the club evolve. It’s really cool to see who we’ve managed to attract from all over the world, and we had a meeting the other day and we obviously want to be in that top four.”
Competition within the squad is fierce — something Boatman sees as a positive.
“This next block is going to be super important for getting the results, but I think everyone’s really excited by pressure. To be part of a team that’s competitive is cool. There’s so much competition for positions. It’s only making me a better player which really excites me because I want to keep developing. Obviously, you want to be playing. But you’ve got to train well and we’ll see what happens and the best people will be selected for the team to put us in the best position.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Boatman’s hopes are centred on growth — both for herself and for the game she loves.
“I hope that we can just keep attracting new fans to the games. I want the game to keep growing. And I think just to be able to go into schools and see that it’s possible for girls to choose rugby as a sport.
“That’s also something I want personally because I didn’t have that. Rugby wasn’t deemed a sport that I should play and I just want young girls to be able to say that they want to play rugby and it to be accepted at school.”
If you’d like to hear more from Ellie about her journey, she recently spoke to Sadia Kabeya and Maud Muir on the Rugby Rising Locker Room sofa talking about how the way you look has nothing to do with your ability or performance on the pitch. Watch Rugby Rising Locker Room on RugbyPass TV.
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