Gwen Crabb: Wales and Gloucester-Hartpury lock on playing rugby with endometriosis

Gwen Crabb has had to endure more than her fair share of injuries during her rugby career.

The 26-year-old Wales lock has just had her fourth surgery and is currently undergoing what she affectionately dubs “knee-hab 4.0”.

But Crabb’s latest diagnosis has been a different blow.

After years of living with painful periods, she has finally had the diagnosis of endometriosis.

For a time, she said, she was able to “get on with it” but matters reached breaking point during Wales’ pool match against Canada at the 2025 World Cup.

“All I could think about was ‘when is the pain going to stop?’,” said Crabb.

“I was in so much pain that every now and then I was like ‘oh yeah, I’m playing rugby’.

“The way I try to explain it is if you’re in an ice bath all you can think about is that you’re in an ice bath and how cold you are – that’s how I felt with the pain.

“It was really difficult to be in the moment and concentrate on what the next play is, what am I doing in this lineout and trying to be fully present.”