Galligan backs Red Roses to deliver statement semi-final display

Rosie Galligan has backed England to deliver a statement performance against France on Saturday and extend their record-breaking winning streak.

The Red Roses, who have won their last 31 matches, have looked largely untroubled on their run to the semi-finals of the Women’s Rugby World Cup – topping Pool A before dispatching Scotland 40-8 in the quarter-finals – but weather conditions have restricted the tournament hosts to playing largely forward-based rugby.

It has so far proved effective, but Galligan is relishing the opportunity for England’s talented back line, which has been boosted by the return of reigning World Rugby Women's 15s Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne after a concussion, to go through the gears and show just how devastating they can be.

Galligan said: “It’s about making sure we use our super strength in our forwards and our backs in the right areas of the pitch. Ultimately, it’s about how we come together as one team.

“It definitely has been a bit more forward dominated because of the wind, rain, and all that. But we’re still not afraid to play. That’s something we’ve really taken under our belts since John Mitchell came in. He encourages us to play, as long as it’s in the right areas of the pitch and within the game plan.

“Going into this weekend, we want to keep raising the level. We analysed what could have been better last week and we're going to take that into this week. It's about what we can do so if anything, we're our own worst enemies and we only want to keep striving for more.”

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John Mitchell’s side are enjoying a 16-game winning streak against France but were run close by Les Bleues during a 43-42 thriller in the final round of the Six Nations back in April.

Having trailed at halftime 31-21, Gaëlle Mignot & David Ortiz’s side roared back, producing a trademark second-half blitz to take the half 21-12 and lose by just a solitary point.

Galligan, who has featured in four of England’s matches so far, starting three of those, was a second-half substitute during that match against France in the spring, and is expecting another tough test on Saturday.

She continued: “Le Crunch is the best, probably similar to the French, when you go away from home, it’s special. It’s always a hostile environment when we go over to France, and likewise, when they come here, they seem to come alive and really want to beat us on home soil. 

“For us, it’s just another rugby game in one sense, but that England-France rivalry is something you never take for granted. You’ve got to keep your foot on the throat the whole time and see the game through.

“In the past, we’ve had really strong first halves and then let France come back. This time, it's about getting that one minute to 80-minute performance and that’s something we’re focussing on this week.”

Galligan has been delighted with the way the tournament has captured the public’s imagination and explained it has given her and her teammates a boost.

She added: “It’s been incredible. In the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand, we didn’t really know how much support we had back home because you couldn’t really feel or see it because of the time difference, and we were on completely the other side of the world.

“But to be able to come in with literally people walking down the streets and busloads of people waving to you as you're going past, and then fans lined up waiting for you to come off the bus, it is completely surreal.

“Then, just looking around the stadium when a winger's going down the sideline about to score and hearing the eruption of fans, it’s an absolutely incredible feeling and something that you don't take for granted.

“The fans have made this tournament for us so far and hopefully Allianz Stadium in a few weeks' time is going to be sold out, and that's just going to be the pinnacle of this World Cup.”