Ellie Kildunne was not watching when England last won the Women’s Rugby World Cup. She wasn’t even aware the match was on. Now, 11 years later, she is the star full-back charged with leading the Red Rose to victory on home soil. It was 2014 when the Red Rose beat Canada in Paris to end a 20-year wait for a second world title. Kildunne was 13 years old and playing in the boys’ team at her local rugby club, Keighley Albion. “It sounds awful, but I didn’t even know it was on,” she admitted to Standard Sport. “I was playing rugby then, but there was no marketing like there is today, and I wasn’t on social media. It just wasn’t accessible.” It is hard to believe, given Kildunne’s status as the face of England’s World Cup hopefuls. That is a testament to her dizzying ascent to stardom. Since scoring on her England debut in 2017, the Harlequins fullback has starred in five Six Nations Grand Slam campaigns, represented Team GB at the Paris Olympics, and been named World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year in 2024. World Cup glory seems the natural next step. She came within touching distance in 2022, opening the scoring in the final with a third-minute try as England were beaten 34-31 by New Zealand at Eden Park. Kildunne has spent the last three years working to make sure history does not repeat itself. “I remember the full-time whistle going, heading back to the changing room, and I just wanted it all to start again,” she recalled. “I didn’t believe it, I didn’t want to believe it, but I’ve processed it and now we have a chance to create a new moment.” “Fortunately, we had a 36-hour flight home to sit and process it. I remember being on that flight and writing down all the areas of my game where I could get one per cent better. “This time around, there are no questions. No ifs, buts, or maybes. We have put in the time, the effort, the work.” There is a sense of destiny around the Red Roses heading into this year’s tournament. Their goal is clear: “We have made sure that everything is in place to give ourselves a chance to be as successful as we are meant to be, as is written in the stars. “There is no point to prove. This is about us as a team and what we feel we deserve, what we want.” To do that, England may have to prove themselves against New Zealand, champions in five of the past six World Cups. The Black Ferns have been boosted ahead of the tournament by the return of legendary winger Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, who has renounced her international retirement to aid the Kiwis’ pursuit of a third consecutive title. It was after watching Woodman-Wickliffe play sevens in Las Vegas that Kildunne decided she wanted to pursue a rugby career, but she is not worried about facing her idol. Quite the opposite. “Portia is an incredible player, the GOAT, a player you have to be wary of, but she might be saying the same thing about me as well. “I don’t focus on individuals, I focus on what we can do as a team, and how we can attack New Zealand so that she’ll be scared of us.” Before thinking about knockout rugby, though, England must survive the pool stage, where they are drawn alongside Australia, Samoa, and their opening day opponents, the United States. American women’s rugby is in rude health following the March launch of Women’s Elite Rugby, a six-team semi-professional league which is already home to 20 members of the Eagles’ tournament squad. Also representing the US is arguably rugby’s most recognisable name: Ilona Maher. The former Bristol Bears wing who has become social media’s most followed rugby player by championing women’s sport and body positivity through witty TikToks. Kildunne has lined up opposite Maher in both sevens and fifteens, and makes a blunt, if complimentary, assessment of her play style: “She’s just a powerful woman who uses her strength to run over people. She’s a phenomenal athlete.” But for Kildunne, her influence off the pitch is as important as what she does on it. “Everything she has done for the sport, growing rugby in America and here in England, this is what’s so important in the women’s game. “Rugby needs these personalities using the marketing tools of social media. We have a lot to learn from that. “I think this is just the start. This World Cup will create plenty more superstars” Kildunne is carrying a deep-seated confidence into the World Cup. Now fully recovered from the hamstring injury which ruled her out of a Six Nations decider in April, she has her heart set on a historic campaign, and, perhaps, another Player of the Year award. “I’ve not felt as fit, strong, or fast as I feel right now,” she declared. “I have confidence in my mentality, confidence in my team and my gameplay. “I know, hand on heart, that I’m a better player now than I was last year. I would be silly not to push on and keep trying to get better and better.” The London Standard spoke with Canterbury ambassador Ellie Kildunne at an event hosted by the brand. As part of their ongoing mission to create boots that support elite performance, Canterbury have unveiled their new ‘White Pack’ boot. A versatile option designed for players in all positions, it will also be worn by British and Irish Lions stars Mack Hansen, Andrew Porter and Pierre Schoeman.