Daley-McLean backs Harrison
The Rugby Paper|October 20, 2024
KATY Daley-McLean is backing Zoe Harrison over Holly Aitchison in John Mitchell’s fly-half conundrum due to the Saracens 10’s formidable goal kicking, which she feels will give England an edge during tight knockout matches in next year’s World Cup.
BEN JAYCOCK
Daley-McLean backs Harrison

Former fly-half Daley-McLean won 116 England caps from 2007-20, scoring 542 points. She knows what it takes to guide her country to World Cup glory, given her phenomenal performance as captain in the 2014 final – the last time the Red Roses reached the summit of international rugby.

Aitchison started two of the three WXV outings during England’s successful title defence – finished off with a 21-12 victory against Canada last Sunday – with Mitchell preferring the Bristol 10’s expansive style of play.

But with pressure intensifying ahead of the home World Cup, Daley-McLean feels more comfortable with Harrison at the helm.

She told The Rugby Paper: “It’s great that we’re now having this debate. Previously it was Zoe’s shirt but Holly returned from sevens and found her feet. It depends on how England want to play. If you want a real running game, with a fly-half playing flat and attacking to the line, then you put Holly in there. If you want somebody who’s going to be more of a tactician, kicking corners, give you a bit more of a territory-based game, then I’d put Zoe in. They’re very different.

Denne historien er fra October 20, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra October 20, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE RUGBY PAPERSe alt
Harrow keep their nerve for double joy
The Rugby Paper

Harrow keep their nerve for double joy

HARROW saw off QEGS Wakefield to defend their Continental Tyres National School Cup title in emphatic fashion at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 16, 2025
Wales all washed up with nowhere to go...
The Rugby Paper

Wales all washed up with nowhere to go...

Every living English Grand Slam captain, from Sir Bill Beaumont to Dylan Hartley via Will Carling and Martin Johnson, shares another common denominator. They all know what it’s like to be blown away in the cyclonic fury of Cardiff on big-match day.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 16, 2025
Lynn's hoping for fantastic farewell
The Rugby Paper

Lynn's hoping for fantastic farewell

GLOUCESTER-Hartpury have the chance to send boss Sean Lynn off with a perfect farewell as they chase an unprecedented hat-trick of consecutive titles.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 16, 2025
Red Roses want to make it seven in a row - Mitchell
The Rugby Paper

Red Roses want to make it seven in a row - Mitchell

ENGLAND head coach John Mitchell has had to prepare for his title defence without players in the PWR final.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 16, 2025
Lions' support team keeps on growing
The Rugby Paper

Lions' support team keeps on growing

The 1974 Lions took off from Heathrow with a management team of two. No specialist coaches, no analysts, no spin doctors, no physios, not even a bucket-and-sponge man.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 16, 2025
Chiefs are too good for Blues in thriller
The Rugby Paper

Chiefs are too good for Blues in thriller

In a repeat of last season’s final, the Chiefs beat the Blues in a thriller to go top and continue the champions’ nightmare title defence.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 16, 2025
Battling Italy make it tough for Ireland
The Rugby Paper

Battling Italy make it tough for Ireland

ITALY, despite a succession of serious injuries and self-inflicted disciplinary problems, pushed Ireland all the way at the Olympic Stadium in a game that summed up both their respective campaigns.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 16, 2025
Nice are planning a quick reversal
The Rugby Paper

Nice are planning a quick reversal

You may not have heard of Stade Marcel Volot – the one-stand 3,000-capacity home of ProD2 basement side Nice, which sits next to the Var river up the road from the rather larger and better-known Allianz Riviera home of the city’s Ligue 1 football team.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 16, 2025
France in seventh heaven
The Rugby Paper

France in seventh heaven

FRANCE overcame a spirited Scotland display in a breathless finale in Paris to secure a record-equalling seventh Six Nations title – drawing level with England – and their first since 2022.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 16, 2025
Time to talk about the 1995 you-know-what
The Rugby Paper

Time to talk about the 1995 you-know-what

It’s ODD how some Grand Slams get lost in the mists of time, seemingly never to be mentioned again. Take England in 1995. Thirty years ago this weekend Will Carling’s team were closing out their third Slam in five years with a 24-12 victory over Scotland at Twickenham with Rob Andrew kicking seven penalties and a dropped goal for the men in white.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 16, 2025