In this episode of Rugby Legends, Arthur Dickins is joined by Ellie Kildunne MBE, Bristol Bears and England full-back, World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year 2024, and World Cup winner with the Red Roses.

Ellie shares her journey from playing rugby with the boys as a six-year-old in Yorkshire to becoming one of the most exciting attacking players in the world game. She talks about growing up as the only girl on the team, learning to back herself, moving away from home at sixteen, and discovering what it really takes to become an England player.

This episode is packed with insight for young rugby players, especially around confidence, decision-making, tackling, attacking lines, full-back play, sevens, fifteens, nutrition, mindset, and learning how to trust your instincts under pressure. Ellie also explains how she uses two hands on the ball to beat defenders, how she reads crowd noise, and why playing with freedom is such a big part of her game.

Ellie also opens up about the Red Roses, winning the World Cup, using her platform to tell her own story, and why young boys supporting women’s rugby can help change the game for the next generation. It is a brilliant conversation full of practical rugby advice, powerful mindset lessons, and honest reflections from one of England’s biggest rugby stars.

In this episode:

• How Ellie started rugby with the boys
• Playing as the only girl on the team
• Moving away from home at sixteen
• Training at 6:30am in the snow
• Learning to play full-back for England
• How to trust your instincts on the pitch
• Beating defenders before receiving the ball
• Why two hands on the ball matters
• The difference between sevens and fifteens
• Fuelling properly for elite rugby
• Behind the Red Roses podcast
• Why lukewarm is no good
• Ellie’s spiral bomb masterclass

• Email: contact@rugby-legends.com
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• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rugby-legends-with-arthur-dickins/id1816056223
• Podcast Website: https://rugbylegends.buzzsprout.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rugby-legends-podcast/

In this episode of Rugby Legends, Arthur Dickins sits down with Saracens scrum-half Charlie Bracken, son of England World Cup winner Kyran Bracken, to talk about carving out his own identity in the game, the demands of playing at the top level, and the mindset that's fueling his rise through the Gallagher Premiership.

Charlie shares his journey from crying on the pitch at his first ever training session, to falling in love with rugby at Barnet Elizabethans, joining the Saracens academy at 14, and balancing university at Loughborough with his professional career. He opens up honestly about being told at 17 that he probably wouldn't get a contract, and how removing the pressure of an expected outcome actually freed him up to play his best rugby.

The conversation also digs into the technical and mental side of playing scrum-half: the skillset, decision-making, and fitness needed to compete with senior internationals, why hard work has always had to make up for a lack of early physical talent, and the value of working on his weaker side. Charlie also talks about growing up under the shadow and inspiration of a World Cup-winning dad, the Saracens culture that keeps producing top talent, and the advice he'd give to any young grassroots player dreaming of making it.

Whether you're a scrum-half working on your box kick, a young player wondering if the academy system is the be-all and end-all, or simply a rugby fan curious about life as a second-generation professional, this episode is full of honest, practical insight.

In this episode:

• Growing up as a World Cup winner's son — inspiration or pressure?
• Why hard work beats talent every time
• The realities of the Saracens academy pathway
• Dealing with being told "you're probably not good enough yet"
• Balancing university at Loughborough with pro rugby
• The hardest part of competing for a 9 shirt against experienced internationals
• The three (or four) most important skills for a scrum-half
• Working on your weaker foot and becoming ambidextrous
• What makes the Saracens culture so successful
• Chasing that first England senior cap

• Email: contact@rugby-legends.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rugbylegends_podcast/
• TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@rugby.legends.podcast
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0kZnO74lv26gUwcPqJrH99
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rugby-legends-with-arthur-dickins/id1816056223
• Podcast Website: https://rugbylegends.buzzsprout.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rugby-legends-podcast/

Northampton Saints and England winger Ollie Sleightholme joins Arthur Dickins to share the setbacks, lessons and mindset behind his rise through professional rugby.

Ollie explains what it feels like to miss out on a major moment with your teammates, how repeated injuries changed his relationship with rugby and why finding goals away from the game helped him through rehabilitation.

He also looks back at his pathway into the Saints Academy, being dropped before earning another opportunity and the environment that helped him develop into one of the Premiership’s most dangerous finishers.

Away from the highlight reels, Ollie discusses feeling sick before matches, dealing with mistakes during games and staying grounded as his profile has grown. You’ll also hear about his training week, post-match food, celebration rules and whether he could move from the wing to centre.

Most importantly, Ollie shares practical advice for young players. He explains why you must focus on your next job, what coaches look for when selecting a team and why every rugby match should be enjoyed while you have the opportunity to play it.

In this episode:

• How Ollie responds to injuries and setbacks
• Why Saints released him before signing him again
• What nerves really feel like before a professional match
• The mindset that helps him recover from mistakes
• The skills and qualities coaches want from a winger

For more information on the following topics, give Rugby Legends a follow:

Ollie Sleightholme interview
Ollie Sleightholme Northampton Saints
Ollie Sleightholme England Rugby
how to become a professional rugby winger
advice for young rugby players
how rugby players handle injuries
professional rugby injury recovery
how to bounce back from rugby mistakes
how to get selected for a rugby team
best skills for a rugby winger
Northampton Saints Academy pathway
how professional rugby players train
dealing with nerves before rugby matches
rugby mindset and self belief
life as a professional rugby player

• Email: contact@rugby-legends.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rugbylegends_podcast/
• TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@rugby.legends.podcast
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0kZnO74lv26gUwcPqJrH99
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rugby-legends-with-arthur-dickins/id1816056223
• Podcast Website: https://rugbylegends.buzzsprout.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rugby-legends-podcast/