No pressure, no relief, only pride for Ellie Kildunne

Ellie Kildunne does not feel pressure or relief, just pride after helping England become world champions. 

The full-back scored the Red Roses' first try of the match to bring them level in one of the scores of the tournament. 

She was on the pitch at the end as the world number ones achieved the thing they have been chasing for so long. 

“I don’t feel pressure in the first place,” the 26-year-old Harlequins full back said. “There is no sense of relief, I am just proud.  

“I am excited for what is to come for women’s rugby, but pressure just means people care and we are set an expectation that we need to meet or people expect us to meet. 

“I love pressure, I love that people want to come watch us and expect me to play well, and the team as well, there is no sense of relief, I always believed that we were going to do well in this tournament. 

“I said before the final ‘there is just a connection and bond within us as a team that I have never felt before and that will be the thing that wins us a World Cup’ and that is exactly what we did.” 

Kildunne’s tournament has featured plenty of ups and downs, including coming off early against Australia and having to then sit out the quarter-final against Scotland with concussion. 

Her overall try tally stands at five from the World Cup, but those numbers are not what matter to her. 

Neither is missing a game, with a watchword for Kildunne always being destiny. 

She added: “In terms of the tournament, it ran the way I thought it was going to run.  

“I know I score a lot of tries, but just because I don’t score in a game means I have a bad game, I quietly get on with my role.  

“I got a concussion, but I think everything happens for a reason. I keep saying it, everything is written for us, and this was part of the story. 

“I had to learn from some mistakes that I made, but looking back, I wouldn’t change anything. I don’t think I wish I was better, there were no stones unturned and at the end of the day, we are world champions.” 

Kildunne addressed the media in a bedazzled cowboy hat she has helped to make the Red Roses’ trademark, plus a custom grill. 

She is entirely individual, and it is why when she looks back on her score in the eighth minute, she thinks of the tryline in front of her, and less so about the many defenders she got around to get there. 

“I thought ‘I better score, the tryline is in front of me’,” she said. 

“I am an instinctive player, obviously, there are people in front of me, and it is just fight or flight. 

“I am in flight mode, trying to avoid as many people as I can do and get over the line. 

“I am a full-back, I am a finisher, it is my job, the same way the props are expected to scrum, your back three are expected to score, and it was just one of those moments. 

“I was just proud to put the team back on the front foot after Canada scored first. It is pretty cool scoring in front of 82,000 people.”