ABBY DOW is relishing the opportunity to return to her roots when the Women’s Rugby World Cup kicks off in Sunderland.

England open the tournament at the Stadium of Light on Friday night with a clash against the United States in Pool A.

Part of Dow’s family hail from Wearside and some will be in attendance for the game, including her 98-year-old grandfather, Gordon.

“My dad was born in Sunderland and my grandad lived there his whole life,” the England winger said.

“We did the long old trips from Berkshire up to Sunderland for our Easters and everything.

“What’s really cool is my grandad, he’s 98 and he’s coming to the game. He’s never been to the new Stadium of Light. He’ll be there, so I’m very happy he’s going to be there.

“He’s been to one of my rugby games before, it’s a bit hard for him to come, so my auntie’s been really helpful organising it all.

“It’ll be so nice to have a piece of family there, come back to Sunderland and experience it again.

“When I heard Sunderland I know everyone went ‘no it’s really cold up north!’ but for me, I’m so glad it’s there because it feels like a little bit of home.”

Dow’s return to Sunderland is made all the more poignant with it being the birthplace of her father, who died in 2021.

She said: “I think with it being my dad’s side and my dad can’t be there, it’s just nice that I can still have a part of him there.

“He was at every single one of my games growing up. He’s still there in his family and that side of my family, wanting to show support and be part of it.

“You can’t be here in a situation without everyone who has come before you, the parents who have busted a gut to drive around the country.

“In the women’s game when I was growing up we were driving far, a lot, and my dad did everything.

“I remember him buying every single book he could find on how to coach rugby, he ended up being my coach, and he did everything for me.

“It’s so nice that although he’s not there, it’s nice his dad’s there, his sister’s there, and we’re able to celebrate that together.”

This will be Dow’s second World Cup, after she made her tournament bow at the delayed 2021 edition, where England lost to New Zealand in the final.

However, she believes the Red Roses are now a “much stronger” team, having unpacked what happened three years ago.

Dow said: “I remember coming back [after the 2021 World Cup], watching clips of the games looking at what we’d done and there were some girls crying.

“One thing [John Mitchell] has done really well is unpack and reset who we are, working out who we are individually, what we want to be as a team, and we’ve combined them together in the route we needed to take.

“I think we’re a very different team to what we were then, we’re much stronger, more dynamic and bold to do what we want to do.”