Rugby World Cup winner Lark Atkin-Davies has announced that she is pregnant with her first child.
The Red Roses hooker featured off the bench as England rugby triumphed on home soil at a sold-out Twickenham in September having been a stalwart of the side for a decade.
The 30-year-old won her 74th cap in the final win over Canada and revealed on Instagram the happy news.
“Baby Atkin-Davies due June 2026,” the Bristol Bears front-rower posted having not featured for her club this season since the World Cup.
The former primary school teacher has been a key cog for England since making her debut in June 2015.
Abbie Ward, a teammate for club and country, returned to action a few months after giving birth to a daughter in 2023.
Atkin-Davies will miss the Women’s Six Nations, which begins on 11 April with England facing Ireland at Twickenham in front of what could be a competition record crowd.
Since the World Cup, wing Abby Dow and centre Emily Scarratt have announced their retirements from rugby. England are expected to be nominated for team of the year at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards next week after full-back Ellie Kildunne was shortlisted for the individual prize.
