Ellie Kildunne has signed for Bristol Bears ahead of the 2026-27 season, ending weeks of uncertainty over where she would play club rugby next. The England full-back left Harlequins after five years and said the move has brought her "comfort".
Ellie Kildunne and Bristol Bears
Kildunne said she "finally knew what I wanted to do" after conversations that left her "couldn't be happier" with the outcome. She added that she was in the car with her mum when she took the call from the coaches, and that her mum felt it was truly right for her.
The 26-year-old has 62 England caps and 48 tries, and she arrived at Bristol after playing every match in the Women's Six Nations, where she scored five tries as the Red Roses won a fifth successive Grand Slam. Those numbers explain why Bristol moved quickly once she decided her next club.
Harlequins Exit After Five Years
Her route to Bristol runs through Harlequins, where she spent five years after moving from Wasps to The Stoop in 2021. Kildunne had already said she was "gutted" when she confirmed her departure, and later explained that the next step had not been straightforward.
"I didn't really prepare to move on to another club when I'd left Quins but I think the world has a funny way of telling you that it's time to move on," she said. She also said she had looked at Bristol a couple of years ago and was highly impressed by what she saw, but was not sure then whether she was ready to move to the West Country.
What Bristol Bears Gain
Bristol add a World Cup winner and former World Player of the Year to their squad ahead of the 2026-27 season. For supporters, the immediate takeaway is simple: Kildunne is no longer searching for a club, and Bristol now have one of England's leading backs in place before the new campaign begins.
The remaining question is the one her move leaves behind: what length and terms of contract she signed with Bristol Bears. That detail is still the missing piece around a move that has now shifted from uncertainty to a settled next step.
