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The moment the final whistle blew, a wave of relief swept through. In front of a record crowd, 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 “gruelling,” Kabeya found it hard to believe they were world champions until she the whistle blew. “It was incredible,” Kabeya says. “The final whistle was a lot of ease, a moment to exhale and then: ‘Wow, we’ve achieved it.’”

England’s success concluded a three-year reign, a 33 consecutive victories, but the off-field impact is what Kabeya remembers most. Specifically, getting off the team bus to be met with throngs of fans and the cheers from over 81,000 spectators after the anthems.

“I find it hard to describe,” the young forward says. “The walk-in was amazing, a rare opportunity. Just to see the amount of support, the variety present – parents and children, people who are younger, elderly, numerous guys in the stands – it was massive. I absolutely must see recordings to relive it because I don’t think I captured it enough because I was a bit in awe.

“You gaze upward and you observe the entire crowd. I recall people gesturing and being like: ‘See that.’ It was crazy. I instantly reached for my device, I was like: ‘I must capture this.’”

If Kabeya was left with lifelong memories then she also created memories for supporters, with a starring display in the final guiding her team to a 33-13 win. Crowds chanted her popular refrain at the Battersea Power Station celebrations the following 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 reality a in her younger days.

Kabeya first picked up a rugby ball about 15 miles south-east of Twickenham, at the a local institution in the London borough of Croydon. Starting out with male peers, she was motivated by an instructor and former England prop Bryony Cleall to continue with rugby. When she became part of a new squad, in a different locale, she felt she had to change parts of herself to fit in.

“It was in a different area, which is a largely homogeneous neighborhood,” Kabeya says. “I was young and I aimed to blend in so I adjusted my habits the songs I enjoyed, how I was speaking. I no longer talk like I did when I was in secondary school but I was a proper south London girl when I came to Richmond and I kind of wanted to change that and suppress myself.

“It’s only as I have gone along in the sport and connected with similar individuals and have helped me rediscover myself that I am finding [my] personality. I am authentic today.”

In addition to motivating young players, Kabeya has designed gear which will reduce hurdles blocking some from taking up the sport. Teaming up with a brand, she has created a satin scrum cap to shield different styles from rubbing, chafing and damage.

“It’s been a development because we had to source suitable fabric with how it can function while allowing airflow as it has to be appropriate for the sport, where you’re perspiring and getting through a lot of work but also protecting your hair.

“A protective cap is something that has been existing for decades, it’s not a revolutionary idea. But to incorporate this element, it is such a tiny detail but it can have significant impact. In high school I used to use makeshift protection because I didn’t want to get my hair messy but I loved the sport so it wasn't an issue.

I was a typical resident when I came to Richmond and I felt the need to adjust and hold back

“However, for certain individuals that would be the end. It would be: ‘I’m avoiding participation because I prefer to avoid damage, I don’t want to have breakage.’ To have something that could keep people in the game or welcome additional athletes is huge.”

The ending of this World Cup cycle has been golden for Kabeya. Her next appearance in an England jersey will be in the international tournament in April, while in the period before her focus will be on the next club competition for her club, Loughborough Lightning. In the period leading up to the tournament, she found it far from easy, facing physical issues and a “mental dip” during the previous competition: “I came in thinking: ‘Oh I’ll be fine, I’ll be able to get through it.’

“I think the worse it got off pitch, the more it affected her performance. I was able to go away and put in the effort and consult professionals to get myself in the best head space for a global competition. I think, particularly in athletics, you frequently postpone action to try and do something about it. But today, utilizing available help and professionals I can rely on instead of waiting to hit a bump in the road is significant.”