World Cup winner Ellie Kildunne is one of the biggest stars in women’s rugby
World Cup winner Ellie Kildunne is one of the biggest stars in women’s rugby
England full-back Ellie Kildunne has signed for Bristol Bears ahead of the 2026-27 season, following her exit from Harlequins.
The 26-year-old confirmed she was leaving Quins after five years last month and initially said she did not know where she would be playing club rugby next season.
However speaking exclusively to BBC Sport, Kildunne said signing for Premiership Women’s Rugby rivals Bristol had brought her “comfort” after a couple of months in which the situation of where she would play was “up in the air”.
“I finally knew what I wanted to do,” Kildunne said.
“I needed to have the right conversations and make sure it’s the right club for me, and I couldn’t be happier with the conversations that I had.
“I knew straight away that it was right for me. I was actually in the car with my mum when I was on a call with the coaches. She said after it brought a tear to her eye because she felt like it was truly right for me, which is very exciting.”
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World Cup winner Kildunne is a former World Player of the Year and was most recently part of the Red Roses team that won a fifth successive Grand Slam at the Women’s Six Nations, where she played in every match and scored five tries.
In total, Kildunne has been capped 62 times by England, scoring 48 tries, since making her international debut aged 18.
Born in Keighley, West Yorkshire, Kildunne began her club career with Wasps before moving to The Stoop in 2021.
Kildunne previously said she was “gutted” when confirming her departure from Harlequins, but now added she was ready for a change having previously considered a move west to the Bears.
“I didn’t really prepare to move on to another club when I’d left Quins but I think the world has a funny way of telling you that it’s time to move on,” Kildunne said.
“I looked at Bristol a couple of years ago, I was highly impressed by everything that I saw. I didn’t know whether I was quite ready to move house and go across to [the] West Country.
“So to be in the position that I’ve been in, a lot of people might see it as stressful, but I kind of was sat knowing that it’s ready to move on.
‘My priority is always rugby’
Kildunne finished runner-up in last year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards
Kildunne finished runner-up in last year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards
Kildunne is one of England’s biggest rugby union stars and among the most high profile players in the world.
She was the face of the 2025 World Cup for the Red Roses and her profile has only continued to skyrocket since the team lifted the trophy last September.
Bristol, who finished a disappointing eighth in the table this season, is also a club that has a track record of signing prominent figures of the sport.
America superstar Ilona Maher enjoyed a three-month spell at the club during early 2025, New Zealand captain Ruahei Demant similarly joined this season and Wales wing Louis Rees-Zammit joined their men’s Prem outfit last summer his return to the sport from American football while their chief executive officer stated that marketability of players, external is a factor in their recruitment strategy.
The Bears’ running rugby style of play was a key factor in Kildunne wanting to make the move she said but also that joining a club which has worked with other high profile players did come into her thinking.
“Bristol have worked with players who have maybe stepped out of just being the rugby players that you prioritise, is something that definitely aids moving here because I do have a lot on my plate at times,” Kildunne said.
“My priority is always rugby, will always be rugby. But this is new territory, so to feel supported by the staff to ensure that I can keep rugby being my priority as well as aiding the progression of women’s rugby in different ways that I am doing as well.
“It’s definitely something that was a huge positive.”
Kildunne added that she feels the “best is still yet to come” with her rugby.
At Bristol she will link up with a number of England team-mates including Sarah Bern, Hannah Botterman, Abbie Ward and Lark Atkin-Davies and pointed to wing Millie David, who won her first cap this spring, as someone she was excited to link up with.
“Millie Wizz (David) is someone that has been in and out of the Red Roses camp. We’ve seen where she’s got the pace that she’s got when she’s been playing in the PWR.
“I’m excited to keep on growing that bond. I think we can get the best out of each other on the pitch.”
