Ellie Kildunne Ready to "Fight for Her Shirt" as England Eye 2025 Rugby World Cup Glory
Full-back Ellie Kildunne has set her sights firmly on England’s bid to claim the 2025 Rugby World Cup on home soil, declaring her readiness to "fight for her shirt" as the tournament approaches. After helping Great Britain’s women’s sevens team to a seventh-place finish at the Paris Olympics, Kildunne wasted no time in returning to the Red Roses’ camp, signaling her focus on the 15-a-side game with just a year until the World Cup kicks off.
The 24-year-old, who was named this year’s Women’s Six Nations Player of the Tournament, acknowledges the allure of switching codes again but insists her attention is fully on helping England win their first World Cup since 2014. “This is about 15s now, we’re heading towards a World Cup, and who knows what happens after that,” Kildunne told BBC Sport. “I don’t want to be someone that’s in and out. It’s really important to be part of the squad.”
Despite her recent Olympic exploits, Kildunne returned to England training less than two weeks after the final whistle in Paris. Her determination to quickly rejoin the Red Roses underlines her commitment to England’s World Cup challenge. “As soon as that last whistle went, I went back into the changing room and I wanted to go again,” she said.
The Red Roses have a crucial buildup to the World Cup, starting with warm-up matches against France and reigning world champions New Zealand in September. The match against the Black Ferns on September 14 at Twickenham – which will be renamed the Allianz Stadium for the occasion – is being billed as a potential preview of the World Cup final. Kildunne, who was part of the England team that narrowly lost to New Zealand in the 2022 final, is relishing the high-stakes encounter. “This could be the World Cup final. There’s a lot of excitement going into it,” she said.
Following the September clashes, the Red Roses will head to Canada to defend their WXV title, offering further opportunities to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the World Cup.
As one of the key figures in England’s squad, Kildunne’s mix of speed, agility, and tenacity will be crucial in the Red Roses’ quest for glory. With her unwavering focus and drive, she is ready to lead the charge as England aims to make history on home turf next year.
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