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As the game concluded, a wave of relief swept through. Before a historic audience, she embraced her Red Roses colleague Lucy Packer and finally grasped that the England team had secured the Rugby World Cup. The clash with Canada had been so “demanding,” Kabeya found it tough to comprehend they were world champions until she the final signal came. “It was amazing,” Kabeya says. “The final whistle was a lot of ease, a moment to exhale and then: ‘Wow, we’ve achieved it.’”

England’s success concluded a three-year reign, a unbeaten streak of 33 matches, but the wider effect is what Kabeya recalls fondly. Notably, getting off the team bus to be greeted by thousands of supporters and the roar from the 81,885-strong Twickenham crowd after the anthems.

“I can’t even explain it,” the young forward says. “The stadium entrance was unforgettable, a once in a lifetime experience. Just to observe the enormous encouragement, the diversity in it – families, people who are more youthful, more senior, many male attendees – it was huge. I definitely have to watch videos back to experience it again because I don’t think I captured it enough because I was a bit in shock.

“You glance around and you observe the entire crowd. I remember everyone pointing up and being like: ‘Look, look.’ It was unreal. I quickly pulled out my phone, I was like: ‘I need to film this.’”

If Kabeya was provided lasting recollections then she also created memories for supporters, with a player-of-the-final performance steering England to their 33-13 victory. Thousands sang her popular refrain at the post-victory event the following 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 actuality a decade ago.

Kabeya first took up the sport about a short distance from the stadium, at the her school in the London borough of Croydon. Initially playing alongside the boys, she was motivated by an instructor and retired athlete Bryony Cleall to pursue the sport. When she joined her first club, outside her home area, she felt she had to change parts of herself to belong.

“It was in another part of town, which is a predominantly white area,” Kabeya says. “I was inexperienced and I wanted to fit into the team so I modified my preferences my musical tastes, my speech patterns. I no longer talk like I did when I was in high school but I was a proper south London girl when I came to Richmond and I kind of wanted to change that and suppress myself.

“It’s only as I have progressed in rugby and connected with similar individuals and have encouraged my authentic personality that I am finding [my] personality. I am authentic today.”

Alongside inspiring the next generation, Kabeya has developed a product which will eliminate obstacles blocking some from taking up the sport. Working with her sponsor, she has produced a unique rugby cap to shield different styles from friction, chafing and damage.

“It’s been a development because we had to find the right material with how it can function while allowing airflow as it has to be appropriate for the sport, where you’re sweating and getting through a lot of work but also protecting your hair.

“A protective cap is something that has been around for a long, long time, it’s not a revolutionary idea. But to add this layer, 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 aimed to maintain my hairstyle but I was passionate about rugby 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 it. It would be: ‘I’m avoiding participation because I don’t want to do that to my hair, I aim to maintain health.’ To have gear that supports involvement or attract new players is significant.”

The ending of this World Cup cycle has been golden for Kabeya. Her future games for the national team will be in the Six Nations in the spring, while in the meantime her attention turns to the upcoming Premiership Women’s Rugby season for her side, Loughborough Lightning. In the time before the championship, she found it quite challenging, facing physical issues and a “psychological challenge” during the previous competition: “I entered believing: ‘Oh I’ll be okay, I’ll be able to ride it out.’

“I think the more difficult things became outside rugby, the poorer she played. I was capable of stepping back and address the issues and seek appropriate help to prepare psychologically for a World Cup. I think, especially in sport, you frequently postpone action to try and do something about it. However currently, accessing support systems and professionals I can rely on instead of waiting to hit a bump in the road is significant.”