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When the final whistle blew, a wave of relief swept through. In front of a record crowd, she hugged her England teammate Lucy Packer and finally grasped that the Red Roses had won the Rugby World Cup. The final against Canada had been so “exhausting,” Kabeya found it tough to comprehend they were world champions until she the whistle blew. “It was amazing,” Kabeya says. “The end-of-game signal was a lot of relief, a opportunity to relax and then: ‘Wow, we’ve accomplished it.’”

England’s success topped off a dominant three years, a 33-game winning run, but the wider effect is what Kabeya remembers most. Specifically, stepping off the squad vehicle to be welcomed by massive crowds and the cheers from over 81,000 spectators after the anthems.

“I can’t even explain it,” the 23-year-old flanker says. “The team procession was spectacular, a rare opportunity. Just to see the amount of support, the variety present – parents and children, people who are younger, older, numerous guys in the stands – it was huge. I certainly need to review footage to see it because I believe I didn’t fully absorb it because I was a bit in amazement.

“You glance around and you observe the entire crowd. I think of the pointing fingers and being like: ‘Look, look.’ It was insane. I instantly reached for my device, I was like: ‘I need to film this.’”

If Kabeya was granted unforgettable moments then she also made some for the fans, with a player-of-the-final performance steering England to their 33-13 victory. Fans voiced her popular refrain at the title-winning party the next day, 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 in her younger days.

Kabeya first picked up a rugby ball about 15 miles south-east of Twickenham, at the her school in the London borough of Croydon. First participating with boys, she was encouraged by the PE teacher and former England prop Bryony Cleall to follow her passion. When she became part of a new squad, away from south London, 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 just starting out 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 true local when I moved to the area and I attempted to suppress that and conceal my true identity.

“It’s only as I have advanced in my career and found those with shared experiences and have helped me rediscover myself that I am embracing my identity. I am myself now.”

In addition to motivating young players, Kabeya has designed gear which will remove more barriers deterring involvement. Teaming up with a brand, she has developed a specialized headgear to shield different styles from rubbing, rubbing and dehydration.

“It’s been a development because we had to source suitable fabric with how it can work and be breathable still as it has to be appropriate for the sport, where you’re perspiring and undergoing intense activity but also protecting your hair.

“A scrum cap is something that has been in use for ages, it’s not a groundbreaking concept. But to add this layer, it is such a tiny detail but it can have significant impact. In my younger days I used to use makeshift protection because I aimed to maintain my hairstyle but I enjoyed the game so it didn’t bother me.

I was a true local when I joined the club and I wanted to change that and suppress myself

“However, for some girls that would be enough. It would be: ‘I’m not playing because I want to protect my hair, I don’t want to have breakage.’ To have equipment that encourages participation or attract new players is significant.”

The completion of the competition has been golden for Kabeya. Her upcoming international matches will be in the Six Nations in April, while in the period before her attention turns to the next club competition for her side, Loughborough Lightning. In the period leading up to the tournament, she found it far from easy, dealing with setbacks and a “psychological challenge” during the previous competition: “I started assuming: ‘Oh I’ll be alright, I’ll be able to handle it.’

“I think the harder her personal life was, the worse it got on pitch. I was able to go away and address the issues and seek appropriate help to achieve optimal mental state for a global competition. I think, notably in competitive environments, you often delay until crisis point to attempt to make changes. But today, utilizing available help and professionals I can rely on as opposed to reacting to issues is significant.”