ELLIE KILDUNNE

“You only scored because you’re a girl”

To get to the top, England and Harlequins superstar Ellie Kildunne has had to prove all of her doubters wrong as she tells her story of her journey in rugby in the latest episode of our Changing The Game series.

Ellie’s story is of defiance and determination as she challenged stereotypes to start her journey towards playing for the Red Roses. Initially getting into rugby when she was just six years old, Ellie started by playing with the boys as she talks about the sexism she faced within the game when she was younger - from boys laughing at her for playing rugby, to claiming that they didn’t want to tackle her because she was a girl.

But to her, it didn’t matter who she was playing against, she was ready to prove them wrong and show everyone just how good she is. Now, whenever she pulls on a jersey, Ellie thrives under pressure as she plays on the biggest stages in women’s rugby as one of the most exciting players across any form of the game.

These experiences of being the only girl playing with the boys have made her passionate about helping others embrace being different and unlock that superpower within themselves. As she says herself: “who wants to be normal anyway?”