England rugby star Ellie Kildunne has opened up about the unexpected emotional isolation she experienced following her team's triumphant World Cup victory last September.
The 26-year-old full-back, who scored a spectacular solo try in England's final win over Canada at a packed Allianz Stadium, described feeling "really alone" in the weeks after returning to normal life.
"You go from playing in front of 82,000 people who've just witnessed you win a World Cup, to suddenly being back playing club rugby for a fraction of that audience," Kildunne explained. "That transition created a real emotional dip where I questioned why I was doing this."
The Harlequins player, who was named World Rugby's women's player of the year in 2024, revealed the stark contrast between the World Cup environment and her daily reality.
"I went from spending every evening playing Guitar Hero with teammates to living alone in Reading," she said. "The sudden shift made me realize how much I value those connections and shared experiences."
Kildunne acknowledged struggling with her own high standards during the adjustment period, noting that even strong performances felt insufficient compared to her World Cup achievements.
"If I play what others might consider an 8/10 game, I feel like it might as well have been 2/10," she admitted. "Maintaining that drive to improve becomes challenging when you're not in that peak tournament environment."
The England international emphasized the importance of discussing emotional fluctuations after major achievements, highlighting how natural it is to experience lows following significant highs.
"There are going to be good and bad emotions, and things I want to talk about," Kildunne reflected. "The challenge becomes figuring out who to have those conversations with when you're no longer surrounded by your team every day."
Her candid revelation comes as England prepares for their Women's Six Nations campaign, with Kildunne expected to play a key role in the Red Roses' continued success on the international stage.