KATY McLean has had little time to celebrate Saturday’s victory over New Zealand as England’s women’s captain lines up against the world champions tonight for the second time in just four days.
The South Shields-born fly-half skippered her country to a 10-0 Twickenham triumph, converting Maggie Alphonsi’s try and adding a further drop-goal at Rugby HQ.
She will do it all again this evening at Esher Rugby club as the two teams contest the middle match of a three-test autumn series.
McLean said: “Beating New Zealand on Saturday was absolutely massive for us, especially on the back of losing the World Cup final against them earlier in the year.
“We had done a lot of analysis after the World Cup and the most pleasing thing was we improved on the areas we had identified.
“Things like the breakdown and ball retention were huge for us and the fact we stuck to our game-plan was important in getting the result.
“It worked, and it is an amazingly satisfying feeling to gain a reward for all of that effort in preparation.”
Keen to nudge England ahead of the Black Ferns in the global pecking order, McLean added: “It is a great chance for us to prove a point after the World Cup final.
“They were better than us in that game, and we make no bones about that fact, but what Saturday showed is when we relax and play our own game they are beatable.
“We got things right, and that is the big thing we need to build on going into these next two tests against them.”
With a swift turnaround between games seeing 11 changes made to head coach Gary Street’s starting XV, McLean added: “We have a bit of a different team on show and on Saturday again for the third test it is another chance against an absolute top side.
“It is all about how you recover and focus quickly on the next game, but it is just great New Zealand are over here and we have the opportunity of a three-match series against the world champions.”
Savouring every moment of last weekend’s Twickenham experience, she said: “The last time we had beaten them was also there and it is the home of English rugby so it is a special place for everybody.
