Ellie Kildunne: From Keighley Queens to World Cup favorite

Ellie Kildunne has become the standout name of this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup, lifting England toward a potential title as the final against Canada moves into focus.

Her journey began at a Yorkshire trial she hadn’t been invited to. Her mother spotted the date and took her along. Asked which team she played for, the club-less Kildunne improvised. “The Keighley Queens, or something similar, are my best guess,” she recalls. That makeshift side would soon prove pivotal to a career that would rise from a scrappy start to global prominence.

Earlier, she had already split time between codes, tagging along to play league for Keighley Albion and union for Keighley on weekends, often the only girl on the pitch. She would scorch past boys who doubted her and carry that tenacity into school, where puberty and the expansion of teams narrowed pathways for young women in rugby. “I didn’t know that women’s rugby was a big thing at that point,” she says. “Instead I wanted to be the next Steven Gerrard.”

Her appetite for rugby persisted even as she explored other sports. A Liverpool supporter, she drifted into football and joined Farsley Celtic, a team that once beat Manchester City’s academy 7-1 at City’s Etihad campus. Yet the pull of rugby remained; she believed there was a route to her goal if one door closed after another.

Puberty arrived, and opportunities for girls’ rugby narrowed as teams shifted to 15-a-side play. After moving to football for a spell, she found Yorkshire club pathways leading back to rugby, joining West Park Leeds and later Castleford. On the opposite side of the pitch was Carla Middleton, daughter of future Red Roses coach Simon Middleton. “I’d never seen anything like it,” Middleton recalls, noting Kildunne’s impact as a teenager who could score and set up in a blink. Three years later, Middleton would help usher a generation of England debuts in a match against Canada in Barnet. The 18-year-old Kildunne scored a try in a 79-5 win during that game, signaling the arrival of a new England star.

In 2024, Kildunne’s on-field impact surged. She tallied 14 tries in nine Tests for the Red Roses, a level of scoring that helped elevate her to one of the sport’s most visible players. Her performance extended beyond the field; she became a public figure at the World Cup, with fans rallying around her as a focal point of England’s campaign.

Her stature at the World Cup was reinforced by a near-mythic travel anecdote from the awards season. In November last year, her flight to Monaco for World Rugby’s awards ceremony—where she was shortlisted for world player of the year—was canceled. Instead, she and her partner joined a private charter flight arranged for southern hemisphere players involved in the autumn internationals. “It was honestly the most wild thing ever,” she said, describing meeting Cheslin Kolbe and Alun Wyn Jones up close. She walked away from the ceremony with the world player of the year honor that night.

On the pitch, the England back has become a symbol of the team’s energy and technique. At every England match this World Cup, her name is cheered as soon as the teams are announced, and her touches carry the expectation of a nation. She produced two memorable tries in England’s semi-final win over France, underscoring why fans have embraced her as a world-class talent. Across 2024 she added to her tally with 44 tries in 56 games for England, a testament to consistency and flair.

Beyond the white lines, Kildunne has built a broader identity. She has spoken openly about being diagnosed with ADHD, describing how the condition can drive creativity and focus when harnessed properly. “I was struggling to sleep at times,” she told GQ. “I had a conversation with Mum and Dad about my diagnosis. They said ‘it’s you, you’re creative, you go from one thing to another and that’s what’s made you.’ I definitely think it’s a superpower.” She frames the diagnosis as part of who she is and how she approaches the game—an asset that fuels both her performance and her resilience.

Her off-field life mirrors the same energy she brings to the pitch. She pursues photography, has designed a campaign clothing line, and cohosts a rugby podcast with teammate Jess Breach. She even arrived at camp with a second-hand keyboard, hoping to learn piano, and she has used fashion and media to broaden rugby’s appeal. She has contracted deals featuring distinctive boots for big moments in the tournament and appearances in advertising for the event’s official partners. The blend of sport, art and entrepreneurship has helped her become one of the sport’s most recognizable figures.

In recent months, the team’s dynamics have mattered as much as any individual performance. Kildunne’s commitment to the group is evident in her comments that the best memories will be the times spent with teammates—moments they will recall long after their playing days end. She emphasizes the need to stay connected with the squad, noting that those bonds are what will sustain them whether they win or fall short.

Looking ahead, the final remains England’s objective. The World Cup final is set for Saturday, September 27, at 16:00 BST, at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, with broadcasting on BBC One and the BBC Sport website and app. Whatever the outcome, Kildunne’s journey—from a makeshift start with the Keighley Queens to becoming one of rugby’s most celebrated players—has already reshaped expectations for the sport’s next generation.

From the Keighley Queens to the wider world of rugby, Ellie Kildunne’s story is one of persistence, versatility and a relentless drive to excel. If she and England lift the trophy, it will be the culmination of a journey that began with a girl confident in her ability to prove the doubters wrong—and a sport that finally gave her room to shine.