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When the game concluded, relief washed over. In front of a record crowd, she hugged her England teammate Lucy Packer and then understood that the Red Roses had won the Rugby World Cup. The final against Canada had been so “gruelling,” Kabeya found it hard to believe they were global titleholders until she the final signal came. “It was unbelievable,” Kabeya says. “The end-of-game signal was a lot of comfort, a opportunity to relax and then: ‘Wow, we’ve achieved it.’”

England’s triumph topped off a dominant three years, a unbeaten streak of 33 matches, but the off-field impact is what Kabeya cherishes deeply. In particular, stepping off the squad vehicle to be met with throngs of fans and the cheers from over 81,000 spectators after the anthems.

“I can’t even explain it,” the young forward says. “The walk-in was amazing, a unique moment. Just to see the amount of support, the variety present – families, people who are younger, more senior, loads of men coming to the game – it was immense. I certainly need to review footage to relive it because I feel I missed some of it because I was a bit in amazement.

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

If Kabeya was granted unforgettable moments then she also gave spectators something to remember, with a award-winning match effort leading the Red Roses to a decisive triumph. Crowds chanted her now-familiar chant at the Battersea Power Station celebrations the day after, when the “Do, do, do Sadia Kabeya” was initiated by her England teammate Hannah Botterman. These are all occasions she couldn't foresee could be a possibility 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 former England prop Bryony Cleall to continue with rugby. When she became part of a new squad, away from south London, she felt she had to adjust her identity to be accepted.

“It was in another part of town, which is a largely homogeneous neighborhood,” Kabeya says. “I was young and I wanted to fit into the team so I adjusted my habits my musical tastes, my speech patterns. I don’t speak how I used to speak when I was in secondary 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 found those with shared experiences and have helped me rediscover myself that I am finding [my] personality. I am myself now.”

In addition to motivating young players, Kabeya has designed gear which will eliminate obstacles blocking some from taking up the sport. Collaborating with a partner, she has produced a unique rugby cap to safeguard various textures from rubbing, rubbing and dehydration.

“It’s been a development 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 sweating and getting through a lot of work but also keeping your hair safe.

“A rugby headgear 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 minor adjustment but it can have significant impact. In high school I used to play with a plastic bag on my head because I wanted to keep my hair neat but I enjoyed the game so it didn’t bother me.

I was a true local when I came to Richmond and I attempted to suppress that and conceal my true identity

“However, for certain individuals that would be enough. It would be: ‘I’m staying away because I don’t want to do that to my hair, I want to prevent damage.’ To have something that could keep people in the game or have people join the game is huge.”

The completion of the competition has been successful for the athlete. Her next appearance in an England jersey will be in the Six Nations in the spring, while in the interim her focus will be on the next club competition for her team, Loughborough Lightning. In the three years between the last two World Cups, she found it quite challenging, facing physical issues and a “emotional struggle” during the recent tournament: “I entered believing: ‘Oh I’ll be okay, I’ll be able to get through it.’

“I think the worse it got off pitch, the poorer she played. I was capable of stepping back and address the issues and consult professionals to achieve optimal mental state for a global competition. I think, especially in sport, you frequently postpone action to attempt to make changes. However currently, utilizing available help and professionals I can rely on rather than facing problems later is huge.”