Ellie Kildunne
 Kildunne with England in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Ellie Tea Kildunne | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 8 September 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Keighley, Yorkshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 68 kg (150 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ellie Tea Kildunne (born 8 September 1999) is an English rugby union player. She is a member of the England women's national rugby union team and plays for Harlequins Women at club level. In 2024, she was named World Rugby Women's 15s Player of the Year at the World Rugby Awards.[1]
Early life and education
Kildunne grew up in West Yorkshire and started playing rugby aged seven. She played rugby league for Keighley Albion as well as rugby union for Keighley RUFC, where she was the only girl on the pitch.[2]
She was also a keen footballer, but went down the rugby route when she enrolled at Hartpury College after finishing school.[1] She later studied Sport and Exercise Science at St Mary's University, Twickenham on a scholarship.[3]
At Under-18 level, Kildunne captained the Yorkshire team and represented the England Under-18 side at sevens.[4]
International career
Kildunne's England debut came in 2017, when she scored a try for the England 15s in a match against Canada.[4]
After an impressive performance in the Tyrrells Premier 15s, she was called up to start five of England's 2018 Women's Six Nations Championship matches. She was named Player of the Match after England's win over Ireland,[5] and also in the Six Nations after England's 46–0 win over Scotland on 13 April 2024.[6]
In the summer of 2018, Kildunne transitioned to England Women's Sevens team as it fought to - and did - qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[7][8]
Kildunne made her return to XVs rugby but missed the first two events of the 2019 World Series due to injury. She went on to play eight of England's matches of the competition and scored three tries for her country.[7]
She was part of the team that won the 2020 Women's Six Nations Championship, which was postponed until late 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] She also played in the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championships, which England won.[9] She was named in the England squad for the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup held in New Zealand in October and November 2022.[10]
After winning the 2024 Six Nations grand slam, in which she was the top try scorer, it was announced that she would join up with the Great Britain women's sevens team prior to the 2024 Summer Olympics.[11] In June 2024, she was named in the British squad for the Olympic Games.[12] The team finished seventh.[13]
In November 2024, she was named World Rugby Women's 15s Player of the Year at the World Rugby Awards.[14][15]
Club career
Kildunne began playing rugby league for Keighley Albion and rugby union for Keighley RUFC before moving on to West Park, Leeds, and then Castleford. She joined Premier 15s team Gloucester-Hartpury for the 2017/18 season.[7][1]
Ellie joined Wasps in 2020 and committed her immediate future to XVs and won the 2021 Six Nations. A move to Harlequins followed in 2021. Ellie was part of the Red Roses' 2021 autumn international squad and won the 2022 Six Nations.
References
- ^ a b c d Cartwright, Elizabeth (13 November 2020). "Exclusive: TRU Q&A with Red Roses star Ellie Kildunne". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "Is this the best runner in English rugby?". BBC Sport. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "Sport Scholars: Ellie Kildunne". St Mary's University, Twickenham. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Ellie Kildunne". ultimaterugby.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ Malin, Ian (16 March 2018). "England's Ellie Kildunne dazzles again in Six Nations win over Ireland". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ Nelson-Wills, Derek (14 April 2024). "Womens' Six Nations 2024, England against Scotland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ^ a b c "Ellie Kildunne". englandrugby.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "Ellie Kildunne On Her Journey, Sporting Idols And Learning From The Greats". The RPA. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ Rowan, Kate; Wilcox, Greg (24 April 2021). "England win Six Nations thanks to hard-fought, tight win over France". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "Rugby World Cup: Sadia Kabeya and Morwenna Talling in England squad". BBC Sport. 20 September 2022.
- ^ "England's Kildunne to join GB Sevens before Olympics". BBC Sport. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Southcombe, Matt (19 June 2024). "Welsh speedster Jasmine Joyce makes history with Team GB Paris Olympics call-up". ITV.com. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "Around the Games: Day Four of Paris 2024". Team GB. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "England's Kildunne and Matthews nominated for award". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Heagney, Liam (24 November 2024). "Ellie Kildunne named World Rugby women's 15s player of the year". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
