'I didn't know you could play for England at rugby'

Sadia Kabeya never had any ambition to play rugby for England - she did not even know it was an option. It was just a sport she was good at and which she enjoyed playing at school.

Yet she is now the proud owner of a Women's World Cup winner's medal, having started every match for the Red Roses as they stormed to glory on home soil.

The 23-year-old flanker was even named player of the match in the 33-13 final victory over Canada at Twickenham on Saturday - a sold-out match in front of 82,000 fans that smashed the record attendance for a women's rugby match.

"I never had the ambition to play for England - didn't know you could play for England at rugby. It was just something that I really enjoyed and my coaches and teachers encouraged me to do outside of school," she told BBC Radio London.

"Until I got my first cap it never seemed like it was possible. But being from south London and growing up with that kind of grit has definitely helped me in my journey."

Now, Kebaya and her team-mates are hoping to inspire the next generation of Red Roses.

Saturday's final was retribution for Kabeya after suffering disappointment at the same stage three years ago.

She had been part of the side beaten in the delayed 2021 World Cup final by the Black Fearns in New Zealand.

"There was a lot of heartbreak in there and I think, in that squad there was a lot of older girls who had been through it many a time. For me it was my first World Cup so it was a really strange feeling [to lose]," she said.

"As soon as the final whistle went, there was a feeling of 'We're going to get this next time'.

"It's all been leading up to this moment. It was about taking in that heartbreak but getting back to the drawing board and getting there again."

Kabeya grew up in Sydenham and only began playing rugby because her school had an academy for boys.

She has seen the women's game grow exponentially in that time and praised the sport for its inclusivity.

'Winning World Cup is bigger than us as a team'

"It's a space where anyone's welcome - anyone, any shape, any size, any colour, any cultural differences - everyone is welcome," she added.

"For me, being a black woman from south London, I've kind of had to learn, not the hard way, but had a bumpy road.

"Now I'm in it and have seen it and feel it, it's amazing being in women's rugby."

She went on to play for Richmond and Wasps before joining Loughborough Lightning in 2021.

As well as earning her World Cup gold and silver medals, Kabeya has represented England in four Grand Slam-winning Six Nations Championships.

"It's bigger than now [to win the World Cup], it's bigger than us as a team. To be hitting record-breaking crowds, for us we just want to grow the game - to show anyone that they can pick up a rugby ball, get down, enjoy it.

"We'll see in the next couple of years what this impact of winning a World Cup really has done.

"Our thing is for the girls – for the future, for the girls who played before, for the girls of now."