Abi Burton in ‘dream’ England women’s rugby debut three years after 25-day coma
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England's Abi Burton diving over the line to score the final try of the Women's Six Nations international rugby union match between Wales and England.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – England’s Abi Burton capped a “dream” Test debut by coming off the bench to score two tries as England hammered Wales in the Women’s Six Nations on March 29, three years after spending 25 days in a coma while battling encephalitis.
The two-time Olympic rugby sevens player has made a remarkable comeback to elite rugby union, after a 76-day stay in hospital in 2022 following the autoimmune condition which attacks the brain.
Burton lost 19kg and was wrongly detained under mental health regulations after an initial misdiagnosis.
The back-row forward came on with just 13 minutes of normal time left at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, yet still managed to score two of England’s 11 tries in the 67-12 rout.
“I’m so excited,” Burton, 25, told the BBC. “I’ve tried not to let the emotion get the better of me this week.
“But, honestly, this group is unbelievable and I’m so grateful to be a part of it, so yeah it was a dream debut.
“Earlier on this week when we came for the team run, I just stood here (on the pitch) and I just absolutely relished it. It’s unbelievable and to make my debut here also is like a really big dream come true. Twickenham would be amazing, but this is also pretty cool as well.”
Burton, speaking in midweek about the health problems she had overcome, said: “It’s super freeing. I now play without the thought that I’m going to disappoint somebody or disappoint whoever’s around me.
“Ultimately, every time I step onto the pitch now, I think this could be the last time because there was a point where I didn’t even ever think like that.
“I probably took some of those moments – those five, six years that I had playing in international rugby in the sevens, going to all these extraordinary places – probably took those for granted quite a bit.
“So now when I step onto the pitch, good game, bad game, I’m just happy to be running around with my mates, smashing people up, doing what I love.”
England’s other tries came via Ellie Kildunne (three), Maddie Feaunati (two), Abby Dow (two), Megan Jones and Sarah Bern. Wales crossed the line twice, through Jenni Scoble and Kate Williams.
In the other match on March 29, France beat Scotland 38-15 in La Rochelle.
In the men’s game, 42-year-old former New Zealand centre Ma’a Nonu made history on March 29 when he became the oldest man to play in the French Top 14.
The two-time World Cup winner went into the record books when he came on as second-half replacement in Toulon’s 28-26 loss at Castres.
Nonu, in his third spell with the French club, has signed as medical cover for the rest of the season.
Having played at Toulon from 2015 to 2018 and then again in the 2020-21 campaign, the 103-time capped Nonu moved to the United States to play in San Diego.
On March 29, he replaced French international winger Gabin Villiere on the hour mark.
In his 20-minute cameo, Nonu played a key role in setting up Fijian winger Jiuta Wainiqolo’s 74th-minute try. AFP
