'No Colon, Still Rollin'': Cass Bargell, US scrum-half and ostomy advocate, sets sights on World Cup

Hosts England hold few fears for the Harvard graduate who recovered from serious illness and surgery to play with a stoma and a bag

A few years ago, Cass Bargell gave a Ted Talk at Harvard, the same university where she studied integrative biology and played scrum-half, helping the Crimson to a national 15s title and earning nominations for US player of the year. Onstage, visibly nervous, she clutched a rugby ball as if for emotional support.

"I dropped the ball," she says, laughing. "They edited it out."