A mum-to-be was left shocked when she discovered she was four weeks pregnant – just days after being injured in a crunching tackle during a game of rugby.
Beth Cox, 22, from Wigan, had completed a full 80 minutes for Warrington Wolves’ women’s rugby league team against arch rivals Wigan before taking a pregnancy test that came back positive.
She had been left with concussion after a heavy collision during the game and rang her doctor immediately to raise her concerns that her baby might be affected.
But a scan revealed everything was fine and Beth is now expecting her first child with partner of five years Matthew Hopwood, 35.
Beth Cox, 22, from Wigan was left shocked when she discovered she was four weeks pregnant – just days after being injured in a crunching tackle during a game of rugby. Pictured, with Matthew Hopwood
Beth (pictured) had completed a full 80 minutes for Warrington Wolves’ women’s rugby league team against arch rivals Wigan before taking a pregnancy test that came back positive
Beth had been left with concussion after a heavy collision during the game and rang her doctor immediately to raise her concerns that her baby might be affected. Pictured, Beth’s baby scan and pregnancy tests
‘It was a bit worrying at first to know I was pregnant during the match,’ said Beth, a 5ft6in centre. ‘I rang the doctor and they said everything was fine.’
‘You can’t do a scan until you’re six weeks in, so I had to wait two more weeks until I could confirm everything.
‘I was panicking a bit because I’d done a game with full contact for 80 minutes.
‘I rang my doctors and they reassured me that I’ll be fine and they’ll get me in for a scan which I went for and everything was ok thankfully. It was a bit of a whirlwind.
Beth wasn’t able to have a scan until she was six weeks in, so had to wait two more weeks until she could confirm everything. Pictured, playing for Warrington Wolves’ women’s rugby league team
Beth (pictured with Matthew) said she was ‘panicking a bit’ because she’d done a game with full contact for 80 minutes
A a scan revealed everything was fine and Beth is now expecting her first child with partner of five years Matthew Hopwood, 35
Beth added: ‘I felt quite good, I felt completely fine during the match. I had no indication that I was pregnant.
‘I was happy and keeping positive, but I was worried as well just in case something happened because of the match.
‘I ended up coming away from that match with concussion, in the second half I got caught in a tackle.
‘I was fine but I think it was the adrenaline, but when I got home, I was just gone. But when I found out I was pregnant I was overjoyed.’
She joked: ‘During training, I told my coach there were actually 14 players on the pitch against Wigan.’
Beth, a lifelong Wire fan, said she is determined to make the match-day squad in time for the 2022 season which starts in March – just three months after she is due to give birth.
She has been training with the team twice a week since the news broke, and has been keeping fit so she can return to the pitch to wear the famous primrose yellow, blue and white colours.
During training, Beth (pictured) jokingly told her coach there were actually 14 players on the pitch against Wigan
Beth joined her hometown club midway through the 2019 season from Wigan, and has played as a full-back and wing before carving out a role as the club’s centre. Pictured, playing for Warrington Wolves’ women’s rugby league team
Beth, who works as a salesperson, said she hopes to inspire other girls to believe that getting pregnant shouldn’t come at the cost of living your dreams.
‘I’ve been training still and joining in with the cardio and working with the ball,’ she explained. ‘The season starts in March or April so there’s time for me build everything back so up. My goal is to get back on the field.
‘This has been a bit of a dream come true, I’ve watched this team for such a long time. It’s so nice to wear the shirt and represent my home town. Not many women have been able to do this so it feels incredible.
‘I want people to know not to give up. Just because you’re a girl and you get pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t follow your dreams.’
Beth joined her hometown club midway through the 2019 season from Wigan, and has played as a full-back and wing before carving out a role as the club’s centre.
She only featured in one match this season due to the pregnancy, but has continued to support her teammates throughout the season.
She said: ‘I’ve been to most of the games this season even if I’m not playing, go to training every week and encourage the girls as much as possible. I’m still part of the time, I’m still part of the team sheet.’
Beth, a lifelong Wire fan, said she is determined to make the match-day squad in time for the 2022 season which starts in March – just three months after she is due to give birth. playing for Warrington Wolves’ women’s rugby league team
Beth started playing rugby in primary school and eventually had to play on the boy’s team as a teenager as there wasn’t a girl’s team.
She said she hopes more girls are encouraged to join the sport which was seen as a ‘man’s game’ but she is now ‘for everyone’.
Beth said: ‘I played in high school but there weren’t any teams for the girls so I was basically told to only train with the boys and then I couldn’t play.
‘There was very little opportunity to play for girls when I was coming up, whereas now we’ve got all the younger age girls coming up and loads of different teams going on.
‘When someone says rugby, I think a lot of people automatically associate it with being a man’s sport.
‘I think we as players get very stereotyped for playing rugby as well so I hope that we are showing other girls that it is for everyone. It’s a very open and inclusive sport these days.’