Ellie Kildunne believes impact of home Rugby World Cup lies ‘beyond imagination’
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England and Harlequins full-back Ellie Kildunne cannot even fathom how transformative next year’s home Rugby World Cup might be for her country. The 25-year-old was crowned World Rugby women’s 15s player of the year earlier this month at a glitzy ceremony in Monaco, honoured in part for her 70-point contribution to the Red Roses’ perfect run in 2024.
Kildunne watched the Lionesses’ triumph at the 2022 home Euros sparked a boom for women’s football, and the West Yorkshirewoman is now daring to dream about a similar paradigm shift for her sport. “I think it’s beyond the imagination,” Kildunne told the PA news agency. “You don’t often get to reflect on how big it is, what we do, until there’s a comment or you have a conversation with someone.
“I actually saw a message (recently) that a young boy was playing in his boys’ team and he scored a try and he said he scored a try like Ellie Kildunne. “That’s what I mean. I didn’t even know that that was even a thing. I think you kind of think it could happen within the girls’ game, but for a young boy to say that was very, very cool.
“We don’t know how much we can impact the next generation until it happens, so I wouldn’t be able to answer now. “I obviously have hopes, but I think we’re going to exceed them.”. England will look to avenge their discouraging 34-31 defeat by New Zealand in the 2021 final when the Red Roses open their campaign against the United States at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light in August on August 22.
