Stage set for Kildunne to become Roses’ most dangerous weapon

Gerard Mullen, the Harle- quins head coach, says of Ellie Kildunne that “it is scary how good she can be”, before add- ing the full-back is far from her zenith despite already showing flashes of her lethal attacking talent for England.

While the Red Roses have plenty of back-three options, Kildunne’s electrifying presence has potential to elevate their attack to a new level.

The 22-year-old combines searing acceleration, evasive footwork and intelligent kicking in a package that forces defenders on to the back foot from the moment she touches the ball. Her signature move is to slow, forcing her opponent to mimic the deceleration, before exploding away from their clutches, backing her change of pace to be swifter than theirs.

In the 43-12 win over New Zealand last weekend, Kildunne scored after attacking the line with the ball in both hands before using her footwork to dot down. “Footwork and acceleration is her No1 asset,” Mullen said. “But Ellie also has that ability to drop the ball on her toe at any second and regather, which is rare.”

Kildunne is well established as one of the Premier 15s’ most dangerous players, but has benefited from her recent switch to reigning champions Harlequins.

The former Wasps player has thrived in the open spaces created by Quins’ all-court game, beating opponents with aplomb after honing that skill playing sevens.

Yet it is the nervous laugh that Harlequins’ Heather Cowell responds with, when asked about defending Kildunne, that provides one of the biggest compliments to her strengths.

“Ellie is really good at spotting space and weaving through defences,” winger Cowell, who joins Kildunne in England’s squad to face New Zealand tomorrow, said. “She provides a real challenge if you are going against her one-on-one. You have to get in early to stop her.”

Despite impressive domestic performances, Kildunne is yet to nail down a starting spot since making her international debut aged 18, starting one match in last year’s Six Nations before being named at full-back for successive fixtures against the Black Ferns.

If England are to set themselves on the path towards World Cup glory in under a year’s time, it would be foolish not to harness Kildunne’s ability to the full. Mullen’s suggestion to achieve that is simple. “We just encourage her to get hands on the ball and be brave. Teams need capacity for a couple of players who you trust to go and have that bit of specialness about them.”