Amidst a whirlwind of changes, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, the Red Roses' dynamic winger, has urged her team to keep the wheels turning after their crushing victory over the USA. Despite a drastically rotated squad for the upcoming match against Samoa, the team's ambition remains sky-high. Head coach John Mitchell has implemented a sweeping 13-player rotation in the starting lineup following a commanding 69-7 win last weekend, with two newcomers also slated to warm the bench.
The Red Roses, stepping into the fray as the predicted dominators, are poised to clinch a quarter-final berth with a victory over Samoa. Although labeled as favorites, the pressure to perform remains a catalyst for excellence, as Moloney-MacDonald highlighted.
"Maybe you guys (the media) expect us to win emphatically,"
she commented, tempering external expectations with a focus on internal goals.
"We want to build on that momentum from the previous game up in Sunderland. We want to challenge ourselves to see how good we can be under the pressure that Samoa give us."
She anticipates a robust challenge from Samoa, emphasizing the physicality and unpredictability they bring to the table.
The squad sees a fresh lineup with Emma Sing stepping in as full-back, flanked by Jess Breach and Moloney-MacDonald. The center pairing features Meg Jones and Jade Shekells, while Helena Rowland and Lucy Packer orchestrate the game from the halves. The forward pack is anchored by Maddie Feaunati at number eight, with Marlie Packer, also the captain, and Abi Burton on the flanks. Rosie Galligan and Lilli Ives Campion complete the second row, with Sarah Bern, Lark Atkin-Davies, and Kelsey Clifford forming a formidable front row.
The bench isn't short of talent either, boasting the likes of Mo Hunt and Ellie Kildunne, along with May Campbell and Mackenzie Carson, who are set to make their tournament debuts. This strategic rotation and introduction of fresh legs suggest Mitchell's confidence in his squad's depth and resilience.
Red Roses team in full Starting XV: 15 Emma Sing, 14 Jess Breach, 13 Meg Jones, 12 Jade Shekells, 11 Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, 10 Helena Rowland, 9 Lucy Packer, 8 Maddie Feaunati, 7 Marlie Packer (c), 6 Abi Burton, 5 Rosie Galligan, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 3 Sarah Bern, 2 Lark Atkin-Davies, 1 Kelsey Clifford Replacements: 16 May Campbell, 17 Mackenzie Carson, 18 Maud Muir, 19 Morwenna Talling, 20 Sadia Kabeya, 21 Mo Hunt, 22 Zoe Harrison, 23 Ellie Kildunne Date: Saturday, August 30 Venue: Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton Kick-off: 17:00 BST Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR) Assistant Referees: Clara Munarini (FIR) and Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU)
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Amidst a whirlwind of changes, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, the Red Roses' dynamic winger, has urged her team to keep the wheels turning after their crushing victory over the USA. Despite a drastically rotated squad for the upcoming match against Samoa, the team's ambition remains sky-high. Head coach John Mitchell has implemented a sweeping 13-player rotation in the starting lineup following a commanding 69-7 win last weekend, with two newcomers also slated to warm the bench.
The Red Roses, stepping into the fray as the predicted dominators, are poised to clinch a quarter-final berth with a victory over Samoa. Although labeled as favorites, the pressure to perform remains a catalyst for excellence, as Moloney-MacDonald highlighted.
"Maybe you guys (the media) expect us to win emphatically,"
she commented, tempering external expectations with a focus on internal goals."We want to build on that momentum from the previous game up in Sunderland. We want to challenge ourselves to see how good we can be under the pressure that Samoa give us."
She anticipates a robust challenge from Samoa, emphasizing the physicality and unpredictability they bring to the table.The squad sees a fresh lineup with Emma Sing stepping in as full-back, flanked by Jess Breach and Moloney-MacDonald. The center pairing features Meg Jones and Jade Shekells, while Helena Rowland and Lucy Packer orchestrate the game from the halves. The forward pack is anchored by Maddie Feaunati at number eight, with Marlie Packer, also the captain, and Abi Burton on the flanks. Rosie Galligan and Lilli Ives Campion complete the second row, with Sarah Bern, Lark Atkin-Davies, and Kelsey Clifford forming a formidable front row.
The bench isn't short of talent either, boasting the likes of Mo Hunt and Ellie Kildunne, along with May Campbell and Mackenzie Carson, who are set to make their tournament debuts. This strategic rotation and introduction of fresh legs suggest Mitchell's confidence in his squad's depth and resilience.
Red Roses team in full
Starting XV: 15 Emma Sing, 14 Jess Breach, 13 Meg Jones, 12 Jade Shekells, 11 Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, 10 Helena Rowland, 9 Lucy Packer, 8 Maddie Feaunati, 7 Marlie Packer (c), 6 Abi Burton, 5 Rosie Galligan, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 3 Sarah Bern, 2 Lark Atkin-Davies, 1 Kelsey Clifford
Replacements: 16 May Campbell, 17 Mackenzie Carson, 18 Maud Muir, 19 Morwenna Talling, 20 Sadia Kabeya, 21 Mo Hunt, 22 Zoe Harrison, 23 Ellie Kildunne
Date: Saturday, August 30
Venue: Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton
Kick-off: 17:00 BST
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR)
Assistant Referees: Clara Munarini (FIR) and Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU)