‘Missing trailblazing WXV is a punch to the gut’

Venue: New Zealand Date: 20 October - 4 November 2023
Coverage: Live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app

So, I've torn my hamstring.

It has been frustrating, as I was so close to being back and on the plane to New Zealand. But we don't want to push it too much, it's the kind of injury where it can keep happening if you don't take care of it.

So we have to take a grand view which is fine - but it is very gutting.

The fact that I'm missing the first ever WXV adds to the frustration, as there is a lot of hype around this tournament, with all the major international teams away and competing with each other at one time rather than just in autumn internationals or tournaments like the Six Nations.

To not be involved in the first one is disappointing, a punch to the gut, because I think it will be a big, influential tournament.

Sadia Kabeya helped England win a Six Nations Grand Slam - but will be unavailable for the WXV

It will be nice to sit back and watch it, and engage with all three of the tiers. I think it's going to be amazing, and an opportunity for new fans to watch teams they might not have seen before.

The England games will be on mainstream TV, which is so important. They will be playing not just three or four teams in autumn internationals, but different teams with different strengths, building that hype.

A lot of the problems with women's rugby is exposure. It was a let-down not have the Canada games on mainstream TV - people want to watch it, and the easiest place to see it is on TV, not YouTube; to have it to flick on means you don't have to be following the team already on social media.

Sometimes people don't know we're there, so it is great to have the games on TV.

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'We want a new narrative after World Cup final'

England lost 34-31 to New Zealand in the final of the 2022 Women's Rugby World Cup

This is England's first game in New Zealand since losing the Rugby World Cup final. The players who were in that final have different feelings.

But we have had a regeneration of the squad, new coaches and leaders, and we are trying to create a new narrative around that.

We have spoken about the final in small groups - we wanted to acknowledge it but don't want to make it a big thing. As much as that loss did affect us, we want to move on from that and create a new story.

There is a renewed focus on team culture, how we bond as a team, understanding each other's triggers and allowing us to open up on our experiences and how we feel going into the new season.

That has grown so there is now a real tightknit bond in this new set-up with such focus on our team and our team values.

Of course with the new head coach [John Mitchell, who will take charge after coaching Japan at the men's Rugby World Cup] it's an unusual situation - we are going into a high-pressure tournament but one where we will meet our head coach for the first time.

Everyone is very excited to get him on board. It will be a bit nerve racking for the players to meet him for the first time at the tournament, but we all trust he is right man for the job. It is normal to feel nervous around it, when you have a new coach in charge.

Towards the start of pre-season, he sent a video for our team meeting setting out his stall for our journey ahead. That's how we met him - the coaches were saying "here's Mitch", and we all thought he would walk through the door. But we saw his personality - he seems like a deep thinker.

John Mitchell will become England women's head coach following leading Japan at the 2023 World Cup

'Success is always winning'

For us, a successful WXV tournament means always winning - we want three wins from three games.

But it is more about the performances, and coming together as a squad.

We want to show why we are one of the best teams in the world, and also use this as a stepping stone to regenerate the squad.

We know it will not be pitch perfect, to be linking up in every way possible with new leaders and players, but we want our hard work to show on the pitch, and put us in a good position.

Sadia Kabeya was speaking to BBC Sport's Emma Smith.