Kildunne wins World Rugby's women's player of the year

England and Harlequins full-back Ellie Kildunne has won World Rugby's women's player of the year award.

The 25-year-old claimed the award after an impressive year that saw her crowned 2024 Women's Six Nations player of the championship, help England retain their WXV1 title and score 14 tries in nine tests for the Red Roses.

Also at the awards ceremony in Monaco, 21-year-old Ireland back row Erin King won the women's breakthrough player of the year award.

England back Kildunne's accolade comes off the back of a year that also saw her represent Team GB at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they finished seventh.

She beat Red Roses team-mate Alex Matthews to the award, as well as France's Pauline Bourdon-Sansus and Canada's Alex Tessier.

In the last 12 months the Harlequins back has become one of England's most recognisable women's rugby players having also moved into fashion design, photography, and launched her own podcast with fellow Red Rose Jess Breach.

King took the breakthrough player award having only made her international XVs debut in September.

She won four caps and impressed during a WXV1 campaign that saw Ireland finish second, including a famous win over world champions New Zealand.

King also represented her country in Sevens at the Paris Olympics, and ended up going viral on social media.

During a restart in their match against Team GB, she held team-mate Emily Lane above her head, external, using her strength to prevent Lane from falling backwards before bringing her back down with the ball.