Ellie Kildunne: England star says R360 among a range of options for future

England’s world champion full-back Ellie Kildunne said she is “open to anything” when questioned whether she would be involved in the proposed new R360 league.

“It doesn’t mean that I’d take it, but I’d like to understand the league a little bit more to see if that’s an opportunity that I’d like to take,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

The 26-year-old was speaking at Bracknell Rugby Club to help launch the Rugby Football Union’s Rugby Fest weekend.

The initiative is aimed at ensuring the legacy of England’s Women’s Rugby World Cup win.

As the Red Roses visit clubs up and down the country, rumours surrounding the future of the club game in men’s and women’s rugby refuse to go away, with the R360 breakaway league consistently in the headlines.

The Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday that Kildunne is a top target for R360, and that it had been told “a significant number” of her England team-mates have already signed pre-contract agreements to join R360., external

Kildunne is currently contracted to Premiership Women’s Rugby side Harlequins, who open the league season on Friday, 24 October against Loughborough Lightening at the Twickenham Stoop.

“I’m just focused on the Harlequins season that I’ve got, and you know this week has been absolutely crazy, so I can’t look too far ahead – I don’t even know what I’m having for dinner tonight,” added Kildunne.

“There’s going to be lots of investment into the game now, lots of changes that people will see and I think that’s the direction that rugby needs to go.

“We’ve made something happen and that’s going to come with talking points and debates.

“This league (R360) is still something we don’t know too much about.”