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The moment the final whistle blew, relief washed over. Before a historic audience, she hugged her England teammate Lucy Packer and only then realised that the England team had secured the Rugby World Cup. The championship match versus Canada had been so “exhausting,” Kabeya found it difficult to accept they were international winners until she the final signal came. “It was incredible,” Kabeya says. “The full-time whistle was a lot of ease, a chance to breathe out and then: ‘Wow, we’ve done it.’”

England’s success capped a dominant three years, a 33-game winning run, but the wider effect is what Kabeya recalls fondly. Notably, exiting the team coach to be greeted by thousands of supporters and the cheers from over 81,000 spectators after the anthems.

“I can’t even explain it,” the young forward says. “The stadium entrance was unforgettable, a once in a lifetime experience. Just to see the amount of support, the variety present – parents and children, people who are more youthful, older, numerous guys in the stands – it was huge. I absolutely must see recordings to see it because I feel I missed some of it because I was a bit in amazement.

“You glance around and you see everyone in the stands. I remember everyone pointing up and being like: ‘Check it out.’ It was crazy. I instantly reached for my device, I was like: ‘I must capture this.’”

If Kabeya was granted unforgettable moments then she also created memories for supporters, with a player-of-the-final performance leading the Red Roses to a decisive triumph. Thousands sang her now-familiar chant at the Battersea Power Station celebrations the next day, when the “Do, do, do Sadia Kabeya” was initiated by her England teammate Hannah Botterman. These are all moments she did not comprehend could be a possibility a decade ago.

Kabeya first started playing rugby about a short distance from the stadium, at the her school in her hometown. Initially playing alongside the boys, she was encouraged by the PE teacher and retired athlete Bryony Cleall to follow her passion. When she started at her initial team, outside her home area, she felt she had to change parts of herself to fit in.

“It was in a different area, which is a mostly white community,” Kabeya says. “I was inexperienced and I hoped to be accepted so I adjusted my habits what music I was listening to, my way of talking. I have changed my accent when I was in my teens but I was a typical resident when I joined the club and I felt the need to adjust and conceal my true identity.

“It’s only as I have progressed in rugby and met other people who look like me and have helped me rediscover myself that I am discovering my true self. I am authentic today.”

Alongside inspiring the next generation, Kabeya has created an item which will eliminate obstacles preventing participation. Working with her sponsor, she has developed a specialized headgear to protect a range of hair types from abrasion, rubbing and dehydration.

“It’s been a development because we had to source suitable fabric with how it can perform without causing discomfort as it has to be something you can wear in rugby, where you’re perspiring and facing physical demands but also protecting your hair.

“A scrum cap is something that has been around for a long, long time, it’s not a novel invention. But to incorporate this element, it is such a small thing but it can make such a big difference. In secondary school I used to use makeshift protection because I wanted to keep my hair neat but I was passionate about rugby so it wasn't an issue.

I was a typical resident when I came to Richmond and I attempted to suppress that and conceal my true identity

“However, for some girls that would be the end. It would be: ‘I’m not playing because I want to protect my hair, I aim to maintain health.’ To have gear that supports involvement or welcome additional athletes is huge.”

The conclusion of the tournament has been successful for the athlete. Her future games for the national team will be in the European championship in April, while in the meantime her attention turns to the next club competition for her team, Loughborough Lightning. In the period leading up to the tournament, she found it far from easy, experiencing injuries and a “psychological challenge” during the 2025 Six Nations: “I entered believing: ‘Oh I’ll be fine, I’ll be able to ride it out.’

“I think the worse it got off pitch, the poorer she played. I was able to go away and do the work and seek appropriate help to prepare psychologically for a World Cup. I think, especially in sport, you frequently postpone action to try and do something about it. However currently, utilizing available help and experts I can consult regularly as opposed to reacting to issues is huge.”