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'We have different strings to our bow': Hat-trick hero says there is more to England's game

(Photo by Fiona Goodall - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

England’s hat-trick hero Rosie Galligan believes that her team demonstrated a multi-dimensional game during the 75-0 demolition of South Africa in their final World Cup pool game.

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England came under fire from some corners after their 13-6 win over France for a perceived lack of enterprise in attack, criticism that head coach Simon Middleton labelled ‘hilarious’ and ‘disrespectful’ to a French defence that made over 200 tackles.

“It was pretty disrespectful to France because they are the best defensive side in the world. They have some great players and that was a real arm wrestle of a Test match,” he said.

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Against South Africa, the Red Roses found it tough going in the opening quarter as new combinations tried to get going.

They had to resort to the set-piece and the rolling maul to get scoreboard dominance, playing a ‘safe’ game to build a cushion.

“We said in the first half we wanted to play it safe, we wanted to get back into it” Galligan told RugbyPass.

“The first twenty minutes was a bit disjointed but we haven’t played as a team in awhile like that.

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“So just getting back on track, making sure we got our front foot ball.”

Galligan, who netted three tries in her first World Cup appearance, said that once there was a healthy margin of points on the board England flicked the switch to show a more expansive game.

“In the second half we said ‘right, we’ve got the points, let’s start playing a little bit’,” she said.

“Start playing a different England way, being able to stress and stretch and pull people around the pitch.”

England played a wide running exit strategy in the second half which gave left winger Jess Breach a tsunami of opportunities after a quiet first half out on the edge.

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The Roses attack found a rhythm and began to dismantle South Africa with more than just the rolling maul.

Galligan’s hat-trick try came after a swerving run from winger Abby Dow on a kick return.

“It does show we have different strings to our bow, we know that we’ve got a lot in Zoey [Harrison] and Holly [Aitchinson] at No 10 who can pull the strings in different ways.

“It’s believing in ourselves to put different things out there, show what we can do and score some good tries.”

England’s emphatic win wasn’t enough to secure top seed overall after Canada and New Zealand picked up bonus points in all of their pool matches.

They will play Australia in their quarter-final before a potential semi-final showdown with Canada or the USA.

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H
Hellhound 1 hour ago
South Africa will beat England at a canter

You forget that this was the 3rd Test between the AB's and the English this year. They were prepared and they knew how to keep NZ quiet. The Boks is not NZ.


The Boks is a whole other level. You overestimate England and underestimate the Boks. Clearly you haven't really looked at the teams. Besides the Irish games earlier this year, the Boks have mainly used experimental sides, even against the AB's.


Now they have chosen their best team available. They have targeted this game. The Boks mean business. Man for man, this Bok team is better. In strategy and player abilities there is no comparison and they are outmatched.


There isn't just monster strength, but unreal speed. In broken play there is currently no better team as well as defensively, not to even talk about the attacking threat, both from front and the back.


I'd say read between the lines, see what everyone is seeing, but clearly you are wearing blinders and is also putting too much emphasis on an AB's team the Boks beat twice this year, the same AB's that beaten England 3 times this year.


When Rassie gets serious, the players become machines. There is no stopping them. That bench is loaded with players that is fast, strong and have exceptional skills. This is a team not many teams will face before the 2027 WC, because the Boks doesn't use their best between WC's in one game. All experimental.


You will be proven wrong on Saturday and then you will wonder how you could have been so wrong. This Bok team means serious business. They came to conquer and not just by a close score. They want to demolish and they will. This England team at most is a 60 min team. Against the Boks that just won't cut it

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H
Hellhound 1 hour ago
South Africa will beat England at a canter

Not bizarre, but needed. Everyone usually lifts their game against the Boks. Now instead of facing reality, they prefer to live in the past and look hopefully toward the score of the WC semi, hoping they can recreate that result and by some miracle snatch a victory.


It's better than the alternative knowing what is going to happen. Especially looking at the experimental squads the Boks put up against the Wallabies in the RC, not using their best team. That same Wallabies beat them last week.


Now the Boks isn't using an experimental squad. They put out as close to the strongest team the Boks have available at the moment. That must scare the pants off of them. If an experimental squad can destroy the Wallabies, what would the strongest team be able to do to the English?


Instead of sinking into dispear, they prefer to hope that their players can match the Boks. Even though they know what is coming. The English are scared and they won't show it.


Now imagine how Wales must feel knowing they are up next weekend? They don't even have the dubious record of at least close losses like the English. It's a complete nightmare for these 2 countries and rightly so.


The Boks usually take the pedal of the medal post WC's, but not this Bok team. They are better than the WC winning Boks of both '19 and '23. They are stronger up front. They are faster at the back. They can hit front and back. In broken play they are the most dangerous team. They have the best defence and attack also scoring the most tries.


In a way I feel sorry for both the English and Wales. Only those with blinders on expects a close game. Looking at both teams man to man, strategy to strategy, play to play, they are so outmatched it would be a joke if it wasn't so serious. We need the NH to be strong and we need the gap to become closer in rugby so the game stay exciting because runaway scores sometimes is fun, but it doesn't bring as much joy as a close game won.

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