Welsh rugby star Gwen Crabb has powered through some trying times and battled back to World Cup form – and we meet some of the other women showing that ‘strong is beautiful’
‘I struggled with body image’ Rugby star Gwen Crabb on finding confidence and chasing World Cup glory
As rugby player Gwen Crabb gears up for her second Women’s Rugby World Cup, the battle means even more to her this time around. In an exclusive shoot, the 26-year-old admits that a raft of injuries had pushed her close to quitting – but now the Swansea-born Welsh international is carving out a new chapter in her career.
“I’ve had a rough couple of years,” she tells us. “I’ve been injured on-and- off since the last World Cup, so to feel good means everything.” Gwen, who also plays for Gloucester-Hartpury in the Premier 15s, was thrilled to wriggle out of her rugby kit and glam up for our shoot. “It was like a childhood dream,” she laughs. “The next day I was like, ‘What do you mean there’s nobody to do my hair and make-up?’”
Gwen has been readying herself for the World Cup for months. “Everything I’ve done for the last year has been geared towards this — not just training but decisions around alcohol and my social life,” she says.
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Playing in Australia recently helped with her preparations. “We’ve bonded as a team. Being together 24/7 you find out things about each other, and getting your kit on for the first time always feels like Christmas Day,” she says.
The Lionesses’ historic victory last month was an inspiration to her, too.
“Seeing women’s sport grow and witnessing England win the Euros again is inspiring. Rugby is a few years behind football but, hopefully, we can have similar impact and inspire young girls. That’s what pushes me through the darkest moments.”
Gwen’s bleakest days followed a series of injuries which hit her mentally, too. “I broke my ankle after the last World Cup, then ruptured my ACL [the anterior cruciate ligament] in my first game back. I struggled. There was a lot of, ‘Why me?’”
She continued, “But gradually I flipped the narrative and saw there was lots outside of rugby that I could do, like spending time with family. I was in a new relationship too, so there were positives.”
However, when she returned to the game, her woes continued. She says, “It felt alien, like I’d lost my identity. I’d shifted too far away from rugby and then I got injured again and was off for another five months.”
As things came to a head she recalls, “This time last year I thought, ‘Is this it?’ I was getting home from training and crying to my boyfriend, but I knew I had more to give. Coaches, teammates and family support got me through it. I could have quit, but I didn’t.”
Gwen also attributes her fighting spirit to rugby player boyfriend Harry, who she met 18 months ago while watching him at the Dubai Sevens.
“Harry’s a physio and a massive part of my support system,” she says. “He understands the game so I can rant to him about rugby or not talk about it at all. He gets the sacrifices I have to make. It’s lovely to have someone like that in your corner.”
So could Harry be The One? “Well, he’ll have to pop the question, won’t he?” she giggles. “But yes, I think so.”
As part of the Strong Minds, Strong Hearts campaign, Gwen feels strongly about girls’ body image, and admits she wasn’t always comfortable in her own skin.
“When I was 15, I was obsessed with how I looked. I was never a girlie girl so I struggled with whether I should wear make-up or do my hair a certain way.
“I trained too much and didn’t eat enough. I was trying to get the ‘thigh gap’, which was all the rage among fitness influencers. I had body dysmorphia and, though I’d lost three stone, I saw someone three stone heavier.”
Thankfully, rugby helped change her perceptions. She says, “Being heavier has helped me play better and I respect how strong my body is. But I still see a lot of girls like 15-year-old me out there and I want to change that.”
With rugby stars like Thom Evans and Austin Healey previously taking part in Strictly Come Dancing, and Chris Robshaw joining the 2025 line-up, would Gwen consider hitting the dance floor one day?
“Oh, 100%,” she smiles. “I might be a bit rusty but I danced and did a bit of musical theatre as a kid.”
She adds, “Anything that gets eyes on women’s sport is amazing, so I’d love to get a sparkly dress and the fake tan on!”
* Everybody belongs in sport. Join the conversation at #StrongBodiesStrongMinds #WhereWeBelong #RWC2025
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