REVEALED: Why Ellie Kildunne was forced to leave Harlequins and where next for England star
REVEALED: Why Ellie Kildunne was forced to leave Harlequins and where next for England star
Ellie Kildunne is arguably the hottest prospect on the market right now after it was recently announced that she will be leaving Harlequins at the end of the season.
The England star joined the southwest London club in 2021 and has since become one of the most recognisable names in the game.
Her performances in the famous quarters have allowed her to achieve greatness in the international arena, winning the 2025 World Cup, being named the 2025 World Rugby Player of the Year, and achieving second place in the 2025 Sport Personality of the Year.
For all of her international excellence, however, her time in club colours hasn’t always been as fruitful.
During Kildunne’s spell with the club, Harlequins ladies have struggled domestically, regularly settling only for mid-table finishes. It was only in the 2025 season that they reached the PWR Cup final, losing 43-33 to rivals Saracens.
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“I can be unapologetically myself”
Despite having her face plastered over all the pre-match programmes and social media posters, Kildunne never enjoyed the same freedom as she does with England.
In fact, even during her exit statement, the 26-year-old claimed that she needs to be in an environment where she can be “unapologetically” herself.
“I’ve always tried to be the best player I can be, giving everything I have every time I step onto the pitch,” she told social media.
“For me, that’s always been about being in the right environment – one where I can be unapologetically myself and work with those who truly value each individual and what they bring to the team.”
So what exactly does that mean? Well, according to Telegraph Sport, head coach Ross Chisholm had a “strained” relationship with Kildunne following a series of timekeeping misdemeanours.
These reportedly involved the full-back being late to team meetings and prioritising commercial opportunities over team socials – neither of which will have earned her any brownie points with colleagues.
Two sides to the story
There are always two sides to a story, however, and Harlequins, as a club, are also unlikely to come out spelling rosy.
In fact, former men’s stalwart Mike Brown recently came out firing at the club, telling Planet Rugby: “There are certain individuals who are still there that mean I’ve not got a relationship with that great club.
“It feels I’ve kind of been blacklisted, which is a shame. It feels, without getting into too much detail, I’ve been erased from the place.”
Kildunne may well resonate with Brown’s words, particularly after she’s been so open with her timekeeping struggles in the past.
Speaking to Women’s Health, earlier this year, she commented on her ADHD diagnosis, admitting that she “struggled in some areas”, including “getting overstimulated and not being able to focus.”
According to Berkeley Psychiatrists, people with ADHD often have ‘difficulties with planning, organisation, and timely completion’.
“It wasn’t to have an excuse, it was so I could put some systems in place to improve and get better,” she told the publication.
Where next for Ellie Kildunne?
The big question on every Kildunne fan now is where next?
Well, she’s under a central contract with the Rugby Football Union, which enables her to continue earning even when she’s not tied to a club. But that’s still extremely unlikely to happen.
Her star still shines incredibly brightly, particularly in the north of England where she hails from. But it is rather more likely that she’ll stick close to her current home, with Trailfinders Women offering a simple transition.
It’s worth noting, however, that her former club, Gloucester-Hartpury, sit proud at the top of the Premiership Women’s Rugby standings, having lost just one game all season.
In fact, they are the reigning champions of Premiership Women’s Rugby, having secured their third consecutive title in 2025, and boast a strong core of England internationals, including Maud Muir, Alex Matthews, and Natasha Hunt – all of whom are international teammates of Ellie’s.
There have also been reports of meetings at Loughborough Lightning, but nothing confirmed as of yet.
Whichever club she does find home with next will certainly reap the rewards of a world-class talent.
