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The moment the game concluded, relief washed over. With a massive turnout watching, she embraced her Red Roses colleague Lucy Packer and only then realised that the Red Roses had won the Rugby World Cup. The championship match versus Canada had been so “exhausting,” Kabeya found it tough to comprehend they were international winners until she the whistle blew. “It was amazing,” Kabeya says. “The final whistle was a lot of relief, a opportunity to relax and then: ‘Wow, we’ve done it.’”

England’s triumph topped off a three-year reign, a unbeaten streak of 33 matches, but the broader influence is what Kabeya remembers most. In particular, exiting the team coach to be greeted by thousands of supporters and the cheers from over 81,000 spectators after the anthems.

“I find it hard to describe,” the 23-year-old flanker says. “The team procession was spectacular, a once in a lifetime experience. Just to witness the incredible backing, the mix of people – parents and children, people who are more youthful, elderly, loads of men coming to the game – it was huge. I definitely have to watch videos back to relive it because I feel I missed some of it because I was a bit in awe.

“You gaze upward and you see everyone in the stands. I remember everyone pointing up and being like: ‘See that.’ It was crazy. I quickly pulled out my phone, I was like: ‘I have to record this.’”

If Kabeya was provided lasting recollections then she also created memories for supporters, with a award-winning match effort steering England to their 33-13 victory. Fans voiced her now-familiar chant at the post-victory event the next day, when the “Do, do, do Sadia Kabeya” chorus was led by her England teammate Hannah Botterman. These are all events she never imagined could be a actuality a ten years back.

Kabeya first started playing rugby about 15 miles south-east of Twickenham, at the a local institution in the London borough of Croydon. Initially playing alongside the boys, she was supported by her coach and retired athlete Bryony Cleall to pursue the sport. When she became part of a new squad, outside her home area, she felt she had to alter her behavior to belong.

“It was in Richmond, which is a largely homogeneous neighborhood,” Kabeya says. “I was inexperienced and I hoped to be accepted so I modified my preferences what music I was listening to, my speech patterns. I no longer talk like I did when I was in secondary school but I was a true local when I moved to the area and I kind of wanted to change that and suppress myself.

“It’s only as I have progressed in rugby and connected with similar individuals and have encouraged my authentic personality that I am embracing my identity. I am true to who I am.”

While encouraging future athletes, Kabeya has created an item which will remove more barriers preventing participation. Collaborating with a partner, she has created a satin scrum cap to safeguard various textures from rubbing, chafing and dehydration.

“It’s been a journey because we had to source suitable fabric with how it can function while allowing airflow as it has to be suitable for athletic use, where you’re losing fluids and undergoing intense activity but also keeping your hair safe.

“A rugby headgear is something that has been existing for decades, it’s not a groundbreaking concept. But to add this layer, it is such a tiny detail but it can have significant impact. In my younger days I used to improvise with household items because I aimed to maintain my hairstyle but I enjoyed the game so it didn’t bother me.

I was a typical resident when I moved to the area and I wanted to change that and conceal my true identity

“However, for certain individuals that would be the end. It would be: ‘I’m avoiding participation because I prefer to avoid damage, I want to prevent damage.’ To have gear that supports involvement or have people join the game is significant.”

The conclusion of the tournament has been triumphant for the player. Her upcoming international matches will be in the European championship in the spring, while in the interim her priorities include the upcoming Premiership Women’s Rugby season for her side, Loughborough Lightning. In the three years between the last two World Cups, she found it quite challenging, dealing with setbacks and a “mental dip” during the 2025 Six Nations: “I came in thinking: ‘Oh I’ll be okay, I’ll be able to handle it.’

“I think the harder her personal life was, the more it affected her performance. I was capable of stepping back and address the issues and consult professionals to achieve optimal mental state for a major tournament. I think, particularly in athletics, you wait until you hit rock bottom to try and do something about it. However currently, utilizing available help and experts I can consult regularly instead of waiting to hit a bump in the road is huge.”