Blooming brilliant

RED ROSES CROWNED WORLD CHAMPS AS PACKED TWICKENHAM PARTIES LIKE ‘03

- BY JAMES TONEY

ELLIE KILDUNNE danced her way to a wonder try as England proved strictly unstoppable to clinch Rugby World Cup glory.

Kildunne’s dazzling first-half score left a capacity crowd at the Allianz Stadium in shock and awe and joined Jonny Wilkinson's drop goal as one of English rugby's finest champagne moments.

Three years ago, England arrived at the World Cup final in Auckland on the back of a 30-game unbeaten streak and fell when it mattered.

They have not lost in the 32 matches since, and coach John Mitchell stressed that defeat in a third consecutive World Cup final was simply not palatable.

Scrumhalf Natasha Hunt said: “John has just kept it simple. He has been honest, sometimes brutally honest but I like that.