From Barbie doll to bench – how Ellie Kildunne slipped from Red Roses' XV

Ellie Kildunne has been the Red Roses' figurehead throughout their rise to world champions, so why is she on the bench for Friday night's Test against the USA? Kildunne has made 33 appearances for the Red Roses since the start of 2024, with 29 of those coming at full-back She's the poster girl. She's the former World Player of the Year. She came second at BBC Sports Personality of the Year. She lit up the 2025 Rugby World Cup. She's even got her own Barbie doll. So why isn't Ellie Kildunne starting for England against the USA on Friday night (21:15 kick-off)? First of all she is human, let's not forget that.

We're all allowed ups and downs. It's just that Kildunne's dip comes with the large spotlight of her being the Red Roses' household name. None of her team-mates come close to her popularity with fans both in and outside rugby union with her 239,000 Instagram followers. Her face and name are used for clicks by all the media, present company included. However, if you follow the sport and watch her play, no-one is undroppable. England suffered their first loss in four years to end their 41-Test unbeaten streak in Toronto against Canada. In that fixture and their previous match with the same opposition in Exeter, Kildunne, 27, was