Abby Dow signs for Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders are thrilled to announce that Red Rose Abby Dow will join the club ahead of the 2023/24 season.

The 25-year old, who is comfortable on the wing or in the fullback shirt, has 33 caps for her country, first making her debut in 2017 against Canada, where she scored five tries in her first two games.

She was part of the England squad that won the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023, as well as winning the Championship in 2021.

In this year’s tournament she finished second in the try scoring charts with six tries over the five matches, including scoring four against Italy and the opener in England’s 38-33 victory over France in front of a record 58,000 fans at Twickenham.

She broke her leg in the 2022 Six Nations, but after intense rehab, managed to recover within five months to ensure she was still able to make last year’s Women’s World Cup in New Zealand. Although she was on the bench for the earlier games in the tournament, she started all the knockout games, scoring four tries, including an incredible length of the field spectacular in the semi-final against Canada which was named World Rugby Try of the Year. Abby started the World Cup Final against the Black Ferns, as England fell agonisingly short, 31-34.

In December last year, she was named at fullback in World Rugby Women's 15s Dream Team of the Year, having previously been named on the left wing a year earlier. She is one of only four players to have been named in both Dream Teams since it was created in 2021.

In her club career, Abby joined Wasps in 2016 aged 18 where she worked with Ealing Trailfinders’ Women’s Director of Rugby Giselle Mather. She stayed at Wasps for six years, before moving to Harlequins at the start of this season.

When speaking about joining club, Abby said: “I’m delighted to be making the move over to Ealing Trailfinders next season!

“Ealing is an area I know well from my time at Wasps, and also having the chance to be able to link back up with Giselle (Mather), who is someone I’ve worked with since I was 18 is something I’m really looking forward too.

“To have the opportunity to join a totally new side is rare, but I’m excited for us to have the chance to be able to create our own new identity and style of play and I can’t wait to see who else joins the club and can help shape this going forward!”

Ealing Trailfinders Women’s Director of Rugby Giselle Mather said: “We are hugely excited to have Abby join us at Ealing Trailfinders. She lights up international arenas with her phenomenal power and pace and to bring that to Trailfinders Sports Club for our new fan base to enjoy week in week out is a mouth watering prospect. 

“Abby has a fantastic attitude and work ethic that will inspire all the young athletes that will be part of our new team and I can't wait to begin to start working with her again next season.”