England rugby players undressed for a candid photo shoot to refute stereotypes

Five athletes of the England women's rugby team undressed before the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro to refute stereotypes about the bodies of athletes and show how different they are. The women starred in a photo shoot for a special issue of Women's Health Naked Issue magazine. Claire Allan, Daniella Waterman, Michaela Staniford, Amy Wilson-Hardy and Heather Fisher demonstrate their excellent physical shape. In the same issue, several other British stars also starred nude to convince the audience not to be ashamed of their own bodies.

(Total of 9 photos)

Source: Daily Mail

Athletes compete in rugby-7, a sport that is included in the Olympic program for the first time in history. They admitted that self-confidence and their appearance affects the result.

The flanker, 29-year-old Michaela Staniford from Oxford, wants to break the existing stereotype that rugby players are powerful. "With a height of 5 feet 8 inches (172.7 cm) and a weight of just over 11 stone (70 kg) I'm pretty light, just enough to catch the ball in the air. But it's hard for me to maintain protective muscle mass. Every three hours I eat protein, as well as fruits and vegetables. I need to be disciplined, but when I leave the big sport, there will be a lot of brunches and cocktails!"

From left to right: Heather Fisher, Amy Wilson-Hardy, Michaela Staniford, Claire Allan and Daniella Waterman.

24-year-old Amy Wilson-Hardy talked about how makeup helps her in the game. "I always do my hair and makeup before the game. When I look feminine, I feel more confident. I train eight times a week and I see how my body has changed when I look at old photos. I have learned to love my wider legs and hips, they are necessary for a sharp acceleration."

Former police officer 31-year-old Claire Allan said that her experience helped her in rugby: "Before professional sports, I worked in the police; chasing suspects turned out to be a good training for playing on the field. I am naturally thin, and my trainers wanted me to gain weight when I started training. Now I lift weights and have become much stronger and more powerful. I'm one stone heavier, now I weigh 10 stone (63.5 kg), and I love my calves. Training helps me mentally as well, I'm looking forward to it after the rest days."

Defender Daniella Waterman says that her powerful body and broad shoulders make her worry about fashion. She says: "I will always remember how I tried on a prom dress and was upset because of how wide and muscular I am. And only my brother noted that it is the physical form that will help me achieve what I dream of — playing rugby professionally for England… My body is what it is — 5 feet 8 inches (172.7 cm) and powerful. There are reasons for that."

Flanker Heather Fisher, who suffers from alopecia, says her form changed dramatically as soon as she changed the sport from bobsleigh to rugby. The 32-year-old athlete says: "I've been suffering from alopecia since about the 2010 Rugby World Cup, maybe from stress during the competition. The most difficult thing was that I was already suffering from self-confidence problems due to my appearance, as my form changed dramatically when I turned from an Olympic bobsledder into a rugby player: my shoulders narrowed and my hips became wider. But I train not to look attractive, but to be effective."

In the same issue of Women's Health magazine there is material with actress Lea Michele, who also undressed for a photo shoot.