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The moment the final whistle blew, a wave of relief swept through. Before a historic audience, she celebrated with fellow player Lucy Packer and finally grasped that the Red Roses had won the Rugby World Cup. The clash with Canada had been so “demanding,” Kabeya found it hard to believe they were global titleholders until she the whistle blew. “It was unbelievable,” Kabeya says. “The full-time whistle was a lot of ease, a moment to exhale and then: ‘Wow, we’ve done it.’”

England’s success topped off a dominant three years, a 33 consecutive victories, but the off-field impact is what Kabeya recalls fondly. In particular, getting off the team bus to be welcomed by massive crowds and the roar from the 81,885-strong Twickenham crowd after the anthems.

“I struggle to put it into words,” the young forward says. “The team procession was spectacular, a rare opportunity. Just to witness the incredible backing, the diversity in it – families, people who are younger, more senior, many male attendees – it was huge. I definitely have to watch videos back to relive it because I feel I missed some of 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 crazy. 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. Fans voiced her well-known slogan at the Battersea Power Station celebrations the day after, when the “Do, do, do Sadia Kabeya” was initiated 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 in a nearby London area, at the her school in Croydon, south London. Starting out with male peers, she was motivated by an instructor and ex-international player Bryony Cleall to pursue the sport. When she became part of a new squad, away from south London, she felt she had to adjust her identity to belong.

“It was in another part of town, which is a mostly white community,” Kabeya says. “I was young and I aimed to blend in so I modified my preferences what music I was listening to, my speech patterns. I no longer talk like I did when I was in my teens but I was a true local when I came to Richmond and I attempted to suppress that and conceal my true identity.

“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 authentic today.”

In addition to motivating young players, Kabeya has developed a product which will eliminate obstacles deterring involvement. Teaming up with a brand, she has created a satin scrum cap to safeguard various textures from abrasion, 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 sweating 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 groundbreaking concept. But to include this feature, it is such a minor adjustment but it can create substantial change. 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 proper south London girl when I came to Richmond and I wanted to change that and conceal my true identity

“However, for certain individuals that would be it. It would be: ‘I’m avoiding participation because I don’t want to do that to my hair, I want to prevent damage.’ To have equipment that encourages participation or have people join the game is significant.”

The ending of this World Cup cycle has been successful for the athlete. Her future games for the national team will be in the international tournament in the spring, while in the meantime her focus will be on the next club competition for her side, Loughborough Lightning. In the three years between the last two World Cups, she found it far from easy, dealing with setbacks and a “psychological challenge” during the previous competition: “I came in thinking: ‘Oh I’ll be fine, I’ll be able to ride it out.’

“I think the more difficult things became outside rugby, the more it affected her performance. I was able to go away and put in the effort and speak to the right people to prepare psychologically for a major tournament. I think, particularly in athletics, you often delay until crisis point to seek solutions. But today, utilizing available help and people who I can use consistently as opposed to reacting to issues is important.”