3. Ellie Kildunne
One of the 10 incoming Olympic debutants set to light up the pitch in Paris, Harlequins and England wing Ellie Kildunne is embarking on her own return to the world of sevens. Kildunne is best known for her touchline-scorching tries for the Red Roses, with her prior sevens experiences showcased as she hits her top speeds. Kildunne played for England Sevens from 2018 to 2020, and helped the squad qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
However, the impact of the Covid Pandemic enforced the Japan-hosted Olympics to be rescheduled a year later. By the time the delayed Games rolled around in 2021, Kildunne was out of the sevens sphere, with her focus firmly on England’s preparations for the 2021 Rugby World Cup campaign, which itself had been delayed until 2022. Kildunne came away from the New Zealand based World Cup with silver medals, as the Red Roses lost in dramatic fashion to the Black Ferns in the final.
Kildunne has recently established herself as one of the best-known Red Roses, with a charismatic personality and artistic expression. A passionate photographer, Kildunne has been providing England fans with photo-worthy finishes, as the Harlequin ended the 2024 Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign as the tournament’s top try scorer (nine tries). Kildunne joined Meg Jones in the 2023 & 2024 Women’s Six Nations winning tournaments, as well as the inaugural WXV1 title triumph last Autumn.
4. Amy Wilson-Hardy
Whilst Meg Jones and Ellie Kildunne are representing the current Red Roses out in Paris, Amy Wilson-Hardy is another member of the Great Britain Sevens squad that has also made Test match caps for England. The former Bristol and Wasps back made her debut for England back in 2013 and went on to make 10 appearances for the Red Roses.
Sevens was always the prominent calling for Wilson-Hardy, as the Dorset native would make the swap to the seven-a-side sport ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Suitable to be a ball playing midfielder or an out right pace-infused wing, Wilson-Hardy got the nod for the plane to Brazil, and was apart of the wider squad which supported Team GB’s fourth placed finish.
Wilson-Hardy was unable to make her Olympic debut back in South America, and she is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to become an on-field Olympian this Sunday in Paris. Following her return from Brazil, Wilson-Hardy returned to rugby union 15s and was promptly recalled to the England squad for the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland.
England were defeated by the Black Ferns in that tournament’s final, in what was the fourth of five English defeats to New Zealand in the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final (2002, 2006, 2010, 2017 and 2022). Wilson-Hardy has been apart of England Sevens’ recent medal accomplishments, as the side won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, as well as defeating Spain to win Gold for GB at the 2023 European Games.