Watching England lift Rosie Galligan high into the air during a lineout in this year’s Women Six Nations, you would never know what almost got in the way of her rugby career: her breasts.
Six years ago, at the age of 20, Galligan underwent a breast reduction that took her from a size 32HH to a size 32DD. It was a huge decision for such a young athlete, but one that she credits with making her international career possible.
“Losing two kg on your chest does make a difference,” the Saracens second row told BBC Sport.
“If I hadn’t had my reduction, I don’t think I would be where I am today, both in terms of self-confidence and physically.”
At the time of the operation, Galligan was at the start of her international rugby career, having broken into the England under-20 team. However, her breasts were already causing discomfort and she knew this could affect her future as a professional athlete.
“One of the main reasons I had a breast reduction was simply because of the back and neck pain,” she said. “It would have caused me more problems further down the line.
“I had to wear two heavy-duty sports bras. When I ran, it felt like they were compact – I didn’t feel any pain, it was more a matter of them getting in the way. I used to run like a T-Rex, holding my breasts, just ran without arms.
“I always had to size up to get tops over my chest. I just felt very uncomfortable, I felt so big. The feeling of not being comfortable in your own body is never nice.”
‘This is actually a mega operation’
A breast reduction is usually performed under general anesthesia and takes approximately two to three hours. It involves removing excess fat, glandular tissue and skin from the breast, then moving the nipple to its new position before reshaping the breast.
Some parents may be reluctant to see their daughter undergo such a procedure, but Galligan’s mother Holly had undergone a reduction herself, which Galligan says made her decision to go through with the surgery easier.
Recovery from the operation took six weeks, after which Galligan then flew to Canada on tour with England under-20s.
“My first run after surgery felt so light, like I could jump and move my body,” she said. “I really felt like I was a new person. Being able to wear just one bra allowed me to stand taller and I was as light as a feather.”
But she wasn’t completely open with her coaches about the surgery because of the taboos surrounding the subject, something she now regrets.
“You’re supposed to build yourself back into it gradually, but I didn’t feel like I had that time,” she said. “I thought I would be fit to play international rugby again but I hurt my back in the first scrum because I hadn’t prepared my body for the demands of rugby.
“I could have been more open with the staff and allowed them to help me.”
Galligan, now 26, says she only realized how complex the procedure is when she watched a documentary earlier this year that showed exactly what happens during reduction surgery.
“When I actually saw it happen on TV, I thought ‘wow, this is actually a mega operation,’” she said.
“I didn’t realize how much my body had gone through to get where I am today. It’s not a small operation, so much happens before they can do it.”
‘I have embraced my breast journey’
Galligan’s international career was hit by setbacks. She missed three years of rugby after contracting meningitis in 2019, before suffering a serious ankle injury in 2020.
However, since returning to the top of her game, she has made fourteen appearances for England, winning two Six Nations Grand Slams and a World Cup runners-up medal.
Her next goal is a place in the 2025 World Cup squad.
“Getting the discount is definitely one of the best things that has happened in my sporting career and it has definitely helped me get where I am today,” she said.
“I have embraced my boob journey, it is something that is now part of my sporting journey.”
In 2018, she didn’t tell many people she was having the procedure, but now she wants to use her platform to help others in the same situation and promote breast health.
“Being able to share a little snippet of my life has helped some other girls I know,” she said. “I’ve had conversations with girls from the rugby world, I’ve shown them pictures and I’ve been very open.
“If I can play for my country and represent England at the highest level, why wouldn’t I try to share that with other people?”
Galligan will feature for Saracens in the Premiership Women’s Rugby semi-final against Bristol Bears on Sunday. The other semi-final sees Gloucester-Hartpury take on Exeter Chiefs in a match streamed live on the BBC Sport website and app.
