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As the match ended, relief washed over. In front of a record crowd, she hugged her England teammate Lucy Packer and finally grasped that the her side had claimed the Rugby World Cup. The championship match versus Canada had been so “demanding,” Kabeya found it tough to comprehend they were global titleholders until she the whistle blew. “It was unbelievable,” Kabeya says. “The final whistle was a lot of relief, a opportunity to relax and then: ‘Wow, we’ve achieved it.’”

England’s success capped a lengthy winning streak, a unbeaten streak of 33 matches, but the off-field impact is what Kabeya cherishes deeply. Specifically, getting off the team bus to be met with throngs of fans and the roar from the 81,885-strong Twickenham crowd after the anthems.

“I struggle to put it into words,” the England star says. “The walk-in was amazing, a unique moment. Just to observe the enormous encouragement, the variety present – families, people who are more youthful, more senior, numerous guys in the stands – it was immense. I certainly need to review footage to experience it again because I don’t think I captured it enough because I was a bit in shock.

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

If Kabeya was provided lasting recollections then she also gave spectators something to remember, with a player-of-the-final performance guiding her team to a 33-13 win. Thousands sang her well-known slogan at the title-winning party the next day, when the “Sadia Kabeya chant” chorus was led by her England teammate Hannah Botterman. These are all moments she did not comprehend could be a reality a in her younger days.

Kabeya first started playing rugby about in a nearby London area, at the a local institution in Croydon, south London. Initially playing alongside the boys, she was supported by her coach and ex-international player Bryony Cleall to pursue the sport. When she started at her initial team, outside her home area, she felt she had to alter her behavior to be accepted.

“It was in Richmond, which is a mostly white community,” Kabeya says. “I was inexperienced and I hoped to be accepted so I adjusted my habits my musical tastes, my way of talking. I no longer talk like I did when I was in secondary school but I was a proper south London girl when I joined the club and I attempted to suppress that and hold back.

“It’s only as I have progressed in rugby and connected with similar individuals and have helped me rediscover myself that I am finding [my] personality. I am true to who I am.”

While encouraging future athletes, Kabeya has designed gear which will reduce hurdles preventing participation. Working with her sponsor, she has created a satin scrum cap to safeguard various textures from friction, chafing and damage.

“It’s been a development because we had to identify perfect textiles with how it can work and be breathable still as it has to be suitable for athletic use, where you’re losing fluids and getting through a lot of work but also keeping your hair safe.

“A protective cap is something that has been in use for ages, it’s not a novel invention. But to incorporate this element, it is such a tiny detail but it can have significant impact. In my younger days I used to play with a plastic bag on my head because I didn’t want to get my hair messy but I enjoyed the game so it wasn't an issue.

I was a typical resident when I moved to the area and I attempted to suppress that and conceal my true identity

“However, for some girls that would be enough. It would be: ‘I’m staying away because I want to protect my hair, I want to prevent damage.’ To have gear that supports involvement or have people join the game is important.”

The ending of this World Cup cycle has been golden for Kabeya. Her next appearance in an England jersey will be in the international tournament in next season, while in the interim her attention turns to the forthcoming domestic league for her team, Loughborough Lightning. In the three years between the last two World Cups, she found it rather difficult, dealing with setbacks and a “mental dip” during the previous competition: “I came in thinking: ‘Oh I’ll be fine, I’ll be able to handle it.’

“I think the more difficult things became outside rugby, the poorer she played. I was willing to take time and do the work and seek appropriate help to prepare psychologically for a World Cup. I think, especially in sport, you frequently postpone action to attempt to make changes. Whereas now, utilizing available help and professionals I can rely on rather than facing problems later is huge.”