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Breasts, Bristol, and a broken thumb update

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Rosie Galligan of England arrives at the stadium prior to the Guinness Women's Six Nations 2024 match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium on April 20, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

The other day I had Jo Currie from BBC come round to film a snippet of my ‘boob journey’ as we’re calling it. I had a breast reduction when I was 18, and over the years have started talking about it more openly. It was never a secret but I never felt the need to talk about it.

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Since speaking to other athletes and working with Boobydoo as an ambassador I have become more aware of the impact I can have on young girls and women. I’ve got nothing to hide and can confidently say having a breast reduction changed my life! If sharing my story can help some other people who might feel the way I did when I was younger, I’ll do what I can to help them.

Female health has been a bit of a taboo subject. There is so much more research going into the topic now that it is becoming more normal. I was in the fortunate position that my mum had a breast reduction when she was younger, so in that sense, she knew how I felt. For people who don’t have that support and that network around them, hopefully, I can be a figure to guide them in the right direction.

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People don’t really realise how important sports bras are. A high-impact sports bra has been measured to reduce breast movement by 70-80%. A G cup breast has been measured to bounce up to 14cm when running with a bra on so reducing that not only increases comfort but also confidence which is so important to performing well in my opinion.

Many women might not realise how beneficial it can be, and how it can change how you run and how you play. For years I ran like a T-Rex as I used my arms to anchor down my boobs as I ran! Now I run free whilst feeling good in kit.

There’s the breast health side of things, but pelvic health is also an important thing to be aware of. England are doing a lot of work at the moment looking into pelvic health for women. We want to be top athletes, but we also need to make sure that we’re protecting our reproductive organs as well so that both can work in unison with each other.

I’m really excited to go into my second year as an England contracted player. There’s been an increase in contracts and it’s great to see Liz Crake and Maddie Feaunati have been awarded their first full-time England contracts, as well as Lizzie Hanlon, Steph Else, and Mia Venner getting their first transition contracts. It’s amazing to see that the Red Roses are growing again, and it’s putting us in the best place possible going into hosting the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025.

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It’s always great to know that you’re financially secure for another year, but as elite athletes we all want to be playing. Although my contract has been renewed and I know I’ve got a job for another year, it’s actually about how I can now use my time as a full-time athlete to make sure I’m in the best place to be in that starting shirt for England. If anything, it means you can actually focus more on your performance and getting those shirts for the big games.

My injury rehab has ramped up quite drastically since my recent operation to have the wires removed from my thumb. As soon as the cast was removed the England physio was straight into Saracens and trying to move my thumb around and getting range of movement in it straight away.

I think that was a bit of a shock to the system and I was a bit overwhelmed, but actually, the quicker you move it the quicker you can get back to normal. Although it was a very hard session which wiped me out, it’s put me in a good position this week where I can move my thumb a bit more and start doing some more rehab. It’s going to be a tough couple of weeks trying to get that movement back in, but it will all be worth it in the end.

It’s still about taking it day by day, I still can’t put any weight through it as such in terms of getting back into rugby, but I’m still around the girls and helping out. It’s about taking those small wins and being happy with the accomplishment that I bent my thumb further the next day; those are going to be my little goals at the minute.

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We’re really excited to be at StoneX for the semi-final against Bristol. When you’re in play-offs you always want to have as many home fans as you can, and being at the StoneX is where we perform best. The 4G pitch allows us to play the fast rugby that we want to, and we also know it so well.

We’re coming up against a good Bristol side, they like to play expansive, edge-to-edge rugby. They have also started utilising their kicking game through Holly Aitchison. It’s going to be a really good matchup and hopefully, it will be a good spectacle for women’s rugby.

We’d massively appreciate the support of the Saracens fans this weekend. The more fans here the better. Bring your flags, bring your drums and get yourself down to StoneX Stadium on Sunday.

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I
IkeaBoy 4 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


“I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


“I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


“lol u really need to chill out”

Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

171 Go to comments
f
fl 5 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


“Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

171 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 6 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

171 Go to comments
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