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When the match ended, Sadia Kabeya felt immense relief. 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 tough to comprehend they were global titleholders until she the whistle blew. “It was incredible,” Kabeya says. “The full-time whistle was a lot of comfort, a chance to breathe out and then: ‘Wow, we’ve achieved it.’”

England’s success capped a three-year reign, a 33 consecutive victories, but the off-field impact is what Kabeya remembers most. Specifically, stepping off the squad vehicle to be greeted by thousands of supporters and the cheers from over 81,000 spectators after the anthems.

“I can’t even explain it,” the 23-year-old flanker says. “The walk-in was amazing, a once in a lifetime experience. Just to see the amount of support, the variety present – parents and children, people who are less mature, elderly, loads of men coming to the game – it was immense. I definitely have to watch videos back to experience it again because I don’t think I captured it enough because I was a bit in shock.

“You look up and you notice all the spectators. I think of the pointing fingers and being like: ‘Look, look.’ It was insane. I quickly pulled out my phone, I was like: ‘I must capture this.’”

If Kabeya was left with lifelong memories then she also made some for the fans, with a starring display in the final steering England to their 33-13 victory. Fans voiced her now-familiar chant at the title-winning party the following day, when the “Do, do, do Sadia Kabeya” chorus was led by her England teammate Hannah Botterman. These are all events she never imagined could be a possibility a decade ago.

Kabeya first took up the sport about a short distance from the stadium, at the Harris city academy in the London borough of Croydon. First participating with boys, she was motivated by an instructor and ex-international player Bryony Cleall to pursue the sport. When she became part of a new squad, in a different locale, she felt she had to alter her behavior to fit in.

“It was in another part of town, which is a mostly white community,” Kabeya says. “I was young and I hoped to be accepted so culturally I changed what music I was listening to, how I was speaking. I don’t speak how I used to speak when I was in high school but I was a proper south London girl when I moved to the area and I kind of wanted to change that and suppress myself.

“It’s only as I have progressed in rugby and met other people who look like me and have encouraged my authentic personality that I am embracing my identity. I am myself now.”

While encouraging future athletes, Kabeya has created an item which will eliminate obstacles deterring involvement. Collaborating with a partner, she has developed a specialized headgear to shield different styles from friction, rubbing and dehydration.

“It’s been a process because we had to find the right material with how it can perform without causing discomfort as it has to be something you can wear in rugby, where you’re losing fluids and undergoing intense activity but also protecting your hair.

“A rugby headgear is something that has been around for a long, long time, it’s not a revolutionary idea. But to add this layer, it is such a small thing but it can make such a big difference. In secondary school I used to use makeshift protection because I didn’t want to get my hair messy but I loved the sport so it didn’t bother me.

I was a typical resident when I came to Richmond and I felt the need to adjust and suppress myself

“However, for some girls that would be enough. It would be: ‘I’m staying away because I want to protect my hair, I aim to maintain health.’ To have something that could keep people in the game or welcome additional athletes is important.”

The completion of the competition has been triumphant for the player. Her upcoming international matches will be in the Six Nations in next season, while in the period before her focus will be on the upcoming Premiership Women’s Rugby season for her side, Loughborough Lightning. In the three years between the last two World Cups, she found it rather difficult, experiencing injuries and a “mental dip” during the recent tournament: “I entered believing: ‘Oh I’ll be okay, I’ll be able to handle it.’

“I think the worse it got off pitch, the poorer she played. I was willing to take time and do the work and speak to the right people to get myself in the best head space for a global competition. I think, especially in sport, you frequently postpone action to attempt to make changes. Whereas now, accessing support systems and people who I can use consistently instead of waiting to hit a bump in the road is significant.”