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As the game concluded, Sadia Kabeya felt immense relief. Before a historic audience, she celebrated with fellow player Lucy Packer and only then realised that the Red Roses had won the Rugby World Cup. The final against Canada had been so “exhausting,” Kabeya found it difficult to accept they were international winners until she heard that sound. “It was amazing,” Kabeya says. “The end-of-game signal was a lot of relief, a moment to exhale and then: ‘Wow, we’ve done it.’”

England’s triumph topped off a three-year reign, a 33-game winning run, but the off-field impact is what Kabeya recalls fondly. In particular, stepping off the squad vehicle to be welcomed by massive crowds and the applause from the packed stadium after the anthems.

“I struggle to put it into words,” the England star says. “The team procession was spectacular, a rare opportunity. Just to witness the incredible backing, the variety present – parents and children, people who are younger, more senior, many male attendees – it was massive. I certainly need to review footage to relive it because I believe I didn’t fully absorb it because I was a bit in amazement.

“You look up and you see everyone in the stands. I think of the pointing fingers and being like: ‘Look, look.’ It was unreal. I quickly pulled out my phone, I was like: ‘I must capture this.’”

If Kabeya was granted unforgettable moments then she also made some for the fans, with a player-of-the-final performance guiding her team to a 33-13 win. Crowds chanted her now-familiar chant at the Battersea Power Station celebrations the day after, when the “Sadia Kabeya chant” was initiated by her England teammate Hannah Botterman. These are all moments she did not comprehend could be a actuality a ten years back.

Kabeya first took up the sport about a short distance from the stadium, at the a local institution in the London borough of Croydon. First participating with boys, she was supported by her coach and former England prop Bryony Cleall to pursue the sport. When she joined her first club, in a different locale, she felt she had to adjust her identity to belong.

“It was in another part of town, which is a predominantly white area,” Kabeya says. “I was young and I wanted to fit into the team so I adjusted my habits my musical tastes, how I was speaking. I have changed my accent when I was in high school but I was a true local when I came to Richmond and I attempted to suppress that and conceal my true identity.

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

Alongside inspiring the next generation, Kabeya has developed a product which will eliminate obstacles deterring involvement. Teaming up with a brand, she has produced a unique rugby cap to safeguard various textures from friction, chafing and drying.

“It’s been a journey because we had to find the right material 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 protecting your hair.

“A protective cap is something that has been around for a long, long time, it’s not a revolutionary idea. But to incorporate this element, it is such a tiny detail but it can have significant impact. In secondary school I used to improvise with household items because I wanted to keep my hair neat but I was passionate about rugby so it didn’t bother me.

I was a true local when I joined the club and I felt the need to adjust and hold back

“However, for certain individuals that would be enough. 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 important.”

The conclusion of the tournament has been golden for Kabeya. Her upcoming international matches will be in the international tournament in the spring, while in the period before her focus will be on the forthcoming domestic league for her side, Loughborough Lightning. In the period leading up to the tournament, she found it quite challenging, dealing with setbacks and a “emotional struggle” during the previous competition: “I started assuming: ‘Oh I’ll be alright, I’ll be able to get through it.’

“I think the worse it got off pitch, the more it affected her performance. I was capable of stepping back and do the work and consult professionals to prepare psychologically for a major tournament. I think, particularly in athletics, you frequently postpone action to attempt to make changes. But today, having the resources and experts I can consult regularly as opposed to reacting to issues is huge.”