Sadia Kabeya on embracing her natural hair: 'I thought ‘something needs to change here’'

Since November we have seen the return of Sadia Kabeya to Premiership Women’s Rugby in the back row of Loughborough Lightning’s pack.

Hamstring and ankle injuries had sidelined the flanker but now she is back playing for her club, she has another mission in her sights- as a high-profile black woman in rugby she wants to use her profile to inspire young girls to embrace their natural afro hair.

“I had always wanted to go on a natural hair journey,” the Red Rose told the PWR website.”Especially over the past two or three years but have never stuck to it.

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

“But the nail in the coffin was when I got injured, I actually had my natural hair and I decided I needed to get my hair done because I felt like I needed something to make me happy and make me feel pretty.

“On reflection, I thought I needed to have extensions in my hair and braids in my hair to make me feel happy. That was the moment where I thought ‘Sadia, something needs to change here’.”

The maturity of the 18 time Test capped player coaxes you into thinking she is older than she is, but at just 22, Kabeya has become a role model to many. This is evidenced through her co-presenting role with England team mate and best friend Maud Muir on World Rugby Studio’s Girls Locker Room.

As we work through the beginning weeks of 2025, Kabeya has endeavoured to wear her hair natural for the year, and is holding herself accountable by documenting it on her Instagram page.

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Kabeya told PWR: “The main thing for me is the more you speak about, the more it sparks conversations, because if you don’t know, you don’t know.

“I have had really interesting conversations with people who have questions or who have friends with similar experiences. It has opened up that space to feel comfortable.

“People are from so many different areas and there are so many cultural differences, and rugby is the one thing that brings us together.

“I’m now in a place where I am more confident and feel very privileged to be in a place where I can affect younger girls watching me,” she said.

“Wearing my short hair in rugby with the scrum cap was huge for me. I only wore the scrum cap with my long hair, so I had the hair sticking out the back but now I am breaking down that barrier.

“I am wearing the scrum cap for my hair but also to help with my rugby. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, I am not here for a fashion show, but if I can wear it and feel confident in it, then someone else can see that and have the confidence to wear theirs.”

A role model on and off the pitch. You can watch Kabeya in action for Loughborough Lightning in the final three rounds of the PWR.

Highlights and matches can be watched for free on RugbyPass TV (outside of the USA, Canada, the UK and Ireland).

You can watch all episodes of Girls Locker Room with Sadia Kabeya and Maud Muir on RugbyPass TV.