Alphonsi backs Kildunne for Player of the Championship crown

England legend Maggie Alphonsi tipped Red Roses star Ellie Kildunne to be crowned Women’s Six Nations Player of the Championship ahead of this weekend’s Grand Slam decider against France.

The flying full back has an astonishing nine tries to her name from England’s first four matches, which has seen her electric and incisive running key to a quartet of romps that have yielded an aggregate score of 228-20.

Kildunne notched a hat-trick as England beat Ireland 88-10 at Twickenham and Alphonsi believes her outstanding form deserves individual recognition.

“She [Kildunne] has been outstanding, there is not much more you can say about her,” said Alphonsi. “She is definitely a nominee for Six Nations Player of the Year.

“The way she played against Ireland, some of the lines she cut were amazing. The way she ran past people, it’s like having a bet on a horse and seeing them come through on the final run. We are seeing the very best from her, her ability and confidence is now coming through.

“That back three, Abby Dow, Jess Breach and Kildunne - those three are unstoppable at the moment.”

Kildunne will look to add to her tally in Bordeaux on Saturday, as England look to seal a fifth straight Grand Slam against France.

France also come into the contest with a Grand Slam on the line and Alphonsi warned the Red Roses to step up their level even further in order to deal with a dangerous French outfit.

“The French are a different beast and it will be interesting to see how much space they close down,” she added. “Kildunne will have to think a little differently, a little out of the box.

“Last time England played France at Twickenham it was 33-0 but then suddenly France came back. It’s going to be close, it’s going to be intense.

“What we want to see next weekend is more of what we saw against Ireland in terms of the ambition and willingness to play in attack but we have still got to work on that discipline.

“England are getting by and seem to play their best rugby when they have 14 players but if we can keep all 15 players on the field that would be positive.

“There is also the element of being clinical and executing when it matters because against France they are going to be put under a lot more pressure than what we’ve seen in the last four rounds.

“Over the tournament they have developed that confidence and belief in their decision making and John Mitchell is bringing out the best in them.

“I just hope they put it all together because they will be tested by the French, they have some really good players and the crowd will definitely be against them. As long as they click and bring it together in the 80 minutes, it will be a really good match.”

Alphonsi was speaking as an ambassador at Howden’s Big Rugby Day Out to mark the company’s principal sponsorship of the British & Irish Lions ahead of the men’s 2025 tour to Australia and the inaugural 2027 women’s tour to New Zealand.

The day put community rugby front and centre, with seven clubs invited to take part in a festival of activity including coaching sessions run by Lions legend Jason Robinson.

And Alphonsi believes the rapid growth of grassroots in the women’s and girls’ game alongside a first-ever women’s Lions tour means it is an exciting time for the women’s game.

“It’s the best time for women’s rugby right now,” she said. “We have lots of girls who have started a women’s or girls’ section and they are thriving.

“You talk to people and they tell you their stories of how they started with only three girls and now they have 60 girls. It inspires me, it motivates me to think the game is growing and it’s all happening at community clubs.

“We just have to keep supporting it. That’s the work Howden are doing to keep that going. It’s so good to have that parity, for Howden to sponsor both the men’s and the women’s, the first Lions tour for the women, it’s incredibly special.

“Some of these women are going to wear that famous red jersey, I am gutted I’m not going to have that opportunity. It’s nice to know that one day my son or my daughter can both play for the Lions.”

As part of their partnership with The British & Irish Lions, Howden will be supporting the grassroots game