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When the match ended, Sadia Kabeya felt immense relief. Before a historic audience, she hugged her England teammate Lucy Packer and only then realised that the her side had claimed the Rugby World Cup. The clash with Canada had been so “exhausting,” Kabeya found it tough to comprehend they were world champions until she the whistle blew. “It was unbelievable,” Kabeya says. “The final whistle was a lot of ease, a moment to exhale and then: ‘Wow, we’ve achieved it.’”

England’s triumph concluded a lengthy winning streak, a unbeaten streak of 33 matches, but the off-field impact is what Kabeya recalls fondly. 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 struggle to put it into words,” the 23-year-old flanker says. “The stadium entrance was unforgettable, a once in a lifetime experience. Just to witness the incredible backing, the variety present – families, people who are more youthful, older, loads of men coming to the game – it was huge. I absolutely must see recordings to see it because I believe I didn’t fully absorb it because I was a bit in amazement.

“You glance around and you notice all the spectators. I remember everyone pointing up 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 created memories for supporters, with a award-winning match effort leading the Red Roses to a decisive triumph. Crowds chanted her well-known slogan at the title-winning party the next day, when the “celebratory tune” was sung 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 took up the sport about 15 miles south-east of Twickenham, at the Harris city academy in her hometown. Starting out with male peers, she was motivated by an instructor and ex-international player Bryony Cleall to follow her passion. When she became part of a new squad, in a different locale, she felt she had to change parts of herself to fit in.

“It was in Richmond, which is a mostly white community,” Kabeya says. “I was just starting out and I wanted to fit into the team so I modified my preferences my musical tastes, how I was speaking. I no longer talk like I did when I was in my teens but I was a proper south London girl when I moved to the area and I kind of wanted to change that and hold back.

“It’s only as I have gone along in the sport and connected with similar individuals and have brought me out of my shell again that I am finding [my] personality. I am true to who I am.”

In addition to motivating young players, Kabeya has developed a product which will eliminate obstacles preventing participation. Collaborating with a partner, she has created a satin scrum cap to protect a range of hair types from friction, rubbing and damage.

“It’s been a journey because we had to find the right material with how it can work and be breathable still as it has to be something you can wear in rugby, where you’re sweating and facing physical demands but also protecting your hair.

“A scrum cap is something that has been in use for ages, it’s not a revolutionary idea. But to include this feature, it is such a small thing but it can make such a big difference. In secondary school I used to play with a plastic bag on my head because I didn’t want to get my hair messy but I was passionate about rugby so it didn’t bother me.

I was a true local when I moved to the area and I wanted to change that and hold back

“However, for certain individuals that would be the end. 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 equipment that encourages participation or attract new players is huge.”

The conclusion of the tournament has been golden for Kabeya. Her next appearance in an England jersey will be in the Six Nations in the spring, while in the period before her attention turns to the upcoming Premiership Women’s Rugby season for her team, Loughborough Lightning. In the time before the championship, she found it far from easy, dealing with setbacks and a “emotional struggle” 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 more it affected her performance. I was capable of stepping back and do the work and speak to the right people to achieve optimal mental state for a global competition. I think, especially in sport, you often delay until crisis point to try and do something about it. But today, accessing support systems and professionals I can rely on instead of waiting to hit a bump in the road is important.”