Wife of rugby star Courtney Lawes: I'd worry if our children took up the sport

Courtney Lawes' wife Jessica
Benedict Moore-Bridger3 February 2017

At 6ft 7in and weighing more than 17 stone, England star Courtney Lawes is one of the most intimidating figures in world rugby.

But the wife of the Hackney-born lock — who is expected to be a key figure in England’s campaign to retain the Six Nations title — admits she is worried about their children following in their father’s footsteps.

Ahead of the opening clash with France tomorrow, Jessica Lawes, 25, said she would be concerned about son Teddy, who will be two in April, and Nelly, three, taking up the sport.

She conceded that rugby was “a lot safer now” and “I’ve got used to watching Courtney play and seeing the big hits — I’ve been watching him play for so long. He can look after himself”.

However, asked about her children taking up the sport, she said: “I don’t know if I would want them (the children) to play rugby. I would be running on to the pitch telling them to stop.”

England star Courtney Lawes in action
Getty Images

Lawes, 27, left London aged four to return to his mother Val’s native East Midlands. He took up rugby aged 15 at Northampton School for Boys, was signed by Northampton Saints, and has now won 53 caps for England.

Despite her concerns, Mrs Lawes said her husband was very keen for their son Teddy to take up rugby, adding: "Courtney would love the children to follow in his footsteps."

Mrs Lawes also takes the children to watch their father play as often as she can.

Game days are one of the few times that wives and girlfriends get to see their partners during the Six Nations, as team members are sequestered for most of the tournament, she said.

Other wives and partners who will be at Twickenham tomorrow include fashion student Jess Portman — girlfriend of star fly-half George Ford — and Eloise Harris, girlfriend of centre Jonathan Joseph.

“We have lunch before the game; there are a lot of kids in the team now — everyone gets on really well,” said Mrs Lawes. “We tend to go to as many games as possible and take the kids so one day we can say, ‘You saw your dad play for England.’ It is brilliant for them.”

Her husband and the team are feeling “really confident”, she added. Mrs Lawes runs a property business with her father-in-law and has set up a firm with Lauren Webber, wife of England and Sale Sharks hooker Rob Webber.

The Mum Club is a website where women can share difficult stories about motherhood, such as dealing with postpartum depression.

Mrs Lawes said: “There is a stigma about it. We want to bring a light to all these topics. They are often not talked about but it is stuff that happens to everybody.

“I am very lucky I’ve never suffered with anything like that, touch wood. With things like Instagram life is so filtered. We want to take the filter away.

"Courtney thinks it is great. He’s very supportive."

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