England’s Kildunne wins on club return in 14-try PWR opener

Rugby Women’s Premiership

Harlequins: (26) 52

Cons: Pena 5; Wilcock; Penalty; Torley; Wythe; Pena; Konkel; Sims; Tries: Fleming, Wilcock;

Loughborough Lightning: (28) 42

England World Cup stars Ellie Kildunne and Lucy Packer made a winning return to club rugby as Harlequins beat Loughborough Lightning in a stunning, 14-try Rugby Women’s Premiership opener at the Stoop.

The Red Roses made their first league start since winning the tournament at Twickenham last month.

At the conclusion of a breathless first half, the visitors took the shortest of two-point leads into the break, scoring four tries each.

Sadia Kabeya, the world’s finalist and World Cup champion, started the match with some wild runs in the first half before scoring in the second.

In the World Cup final at Twickenham, the Red Roses defeated Canada in a victory that hasn’t even been a month.

However, Kildunne, the world player of the year, was one of the three brightest stars from that side who were featured in an incredible PWR advertisement.

Quins’ success wasn’t as dependent on the England full-back as she frequently has been.

However, her name sparked the most outcry as the games were pre-game read out, and there were some trademark jinks from deep as well as a clever pass to help Lauren Torley score a crucial try in the corner to give the hosts the first lead of the match.

Lucy Packer, a team- and country teammate, was as trustworthy as ever at scrum half.

Bo Westcombe-Evans was left unchallenged as Loughborough flanker Kabeya spearheaded the opening try, which saw her run through three challenges before being finally defeated.

To cap a successful return for the visitors, she was then given her name on the scoresheet in the second half.

When speaking to BBC Sport, Loughborough captain Daisy Hibbert-Jones referred to Kabeya as “vital” to the team.

She is “a physical freak,” she claims. She has power and pace to get her through those line breaks, and both sides of the ball, she poses a huge threat to both sides of the ball.

She is a fierce warrior on the defensive end. I enjoy playing alongside her but would rather not.

Replacements: Shillaker, Phillips, Sims, Delgado, Shirley, Brooks, Burgess, Cromack, and Sims.

Sin-bin: Svoboda]64]

Loughborough Lightning: Green, Mataitoga, Kelter, Morrall, Morrall, Westcombe-Evans, Nelson, Brebner-Holden, Young, Calladine, Sagapolu, Boyd, Ives Campion, Hibbert-Jones, Kabeya, Lutui,

Replacements: Scantlebury, Williams, Belisle, Brody, Waudby, Maude, Brown, Treder, Williams, Williams, Belisle, Brody, Waudby, Maude, Brown, and others

Sin-bin: Maude]86]