There’s only so much you can do one-on-one with shooters like Nweke, JFN and RAG. It’s really the work done up the front. That’s where her experience will come into play, orchestrating her defence unit. She also never put her head down, especially in those moments where it looked like the Ferns were going to brake it open. I think their biggest lead was 3? At those moments I thought we’ve got them. But the England defence just kept grinding.
Heffernan did some great things and then at other times seemed a bit MIA. I was most frustrated with her around the circle defence (mainly in that 2nd qtr). Housby was using her middies a lot doing the in-and-out thing. There were too many times Heffernan was doubling up on the C. I was shouting to the screen “GET TO YOUR PLAYER”.
Re Ekenasio: Helen Housby stats, Ekenasio should be similar IMO. Metuarau has better play-making skills than Ekenasio, and if that’s the style DNT wants………….well she has selected the wrong players.
I have no doubt that Ekenasio will bounce back in the next test.
