Katy Daley-McLean heaped the praise onto the effect that the England bench had on the game after the Red Roses’ Houdini-like escape to defeat France 25-23 at Twickenham.
Emily Scarratt’s last-gasp penalty saw the hosts emerge victorious at Rugby HQ, having trailed by 13 points heading into the last 15 minutes of the match.
Cyrielle Banet’s brace had seen France lead 23-10 heading into the closing stages, but tries from Poppy Cleall and Ellie Kildunne plus Scarratt’s kick saw them take victory by the skin of their teeth.
With the hosts struggling to get their free-flowing game going, head coach Simon Middleton took the bold decision to introduce the whole of the bench just before the hour mark, and Daley-McLean believes they made all the difference as the game went on.
“The bench did a fantastic job, but you’ve got to credit the French side, we’ve had some battles with those girls, but luckily for us we keep coming out on top,” the fly-half said.
“Our bench made a massive difference, they really finished the job and fair play to Emily Scarratt, it’s good to have her boot on the field.
“If you look at the game we probably weren’t up at the intensity we want to be playing at, especially not what we’re training at the moment.
“I think if you look back we’ll probably be a bit disappointed about that, but all credit to France, when they had ball in hand, they were extremely dangerous and they really came and pressured us.”
The game at Twickenham marked another milestone in the glittering career of Daley-McLean who skippered the side on the occasion of her 116th international appearance.
The Loughborough Lightning star is now the third most-capped Red Roses player of all time, and just 21 caps behind all-time record holder Rochelle Clark.
The second part of the autumn double-header marked the occasion in style, in a game that swung back and forth throughout, with both sides fighting tooth and nail for the win.
Zoe Harrison’s opener had got England off to the perfect start, before Emeline Gros and Banet saw the visitors go into the break 15-5 to the good.
Lark Davies pulled one back just after the interval, before Banet grabbed her second to seemingly put the game out of sight for the Red Roses.
But with the replacements proving their worth off the bench, England highlighted exactly why they are the number one ranked side in the world, with Cleall and Kildunne touching down, before Scarratt’s late deciding kick.
For all of Daley-Mclean’s international experience, she won’t have featured in too many matches as frantic as the one at Twickenham, and the 34-year-old was pleased to mark her momentous day with a victory.
“Playing for England is always a massive honour, something that as a young girl from South Shields I never dreamed I’d be standing here having this conversation.
“The opportunity to be captain makes it extra special, but to be honest that game out there was one hell of a game and it makes it a bit more special that we got that win as well at the end.”
