'It's Rory Delass!' Republic of Ireland's Megan Campbell wows fans with her catapult 38

Release time：2024-05-21 16:38:24 Source：International Insights news portal

Football fans have been left stunned by Republic of Ireland women's player Megan Campbell and her catapult throw-ins during Tuesday night's Euro 2025 qualifier with England.

Former Manchester City and Liverpool defender Campbell, who now plays for Championship club London City Lionesses, caused England no end of problems with her massive throws.

Although Sarina Wiegman's side won 2-0 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, Campbell's deliveries from the touchline led to moments of brief consternation in a packed England penalty area.

Analysing Campbell's Rory Delap-style weapon post-match, ITV measured one of her throws at a whopping 38m.

Pundit Karen Carney said: 'I don't think I've seen anything like it from Megan Campbell. It's unbelievable and it caused problems.

Megan Campbell's throw-in travelled 38m 😳#ITVFootball | @IrelandFootball pic.twitter.com/g9WvXY4kbA

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) April 9, 2024

Republic of Ireland defender Megan Campbell prepares to launch one of her trademark catapult throw-ins during Tuesday night's Euro 2025 qualifier with England

ITV measured one of Campbell's throws at 38 metres as she caused issues for England

Ireland were able to pack the England box whenever they won a throw within range

'At Chelsea, we got this machine in to replicate it because we couldn't throw it and practice in the same way. Nobody could do what she does.

'It put England on the back foot, it caused [England goalkeeper] Hannah Hampton to come out and make decisions and put her under pressure.

'I don't think we dealt with it and the momentum was building from these long throws.'

Goals by Lauren James and Alex Greenwood - a penalty - gave England a commanding first-half lead as the reigning European champions picked up their first win of qualifying.

Fans on social media drew comparison between Campbell and Delap, the ex-Stoke City and Ireland player remembered for his enormous throws, which then-manager Tony Pulis turned into an asset.

Campbell was called 'Rory Delass', 'Megan Delap' and 'the female Rory Delap' on X, with another fan asking: 'Do Stoke have a woman's team?'

Campbell salutes the fans at the Aviva Stadium after Ireland lost 2-0 to England on Tuesday

Stoke City famously turned the long throws of Ireland international Rory Delap into a weapon

Delap's deliveries made the Stoke side under coach Tony Pulis a force to be reckoned with

In 2017, when Campbell played at Man City, she told the club's Facebook page: 'Fortunately, my arms are quite hyper-mobile and can go further back than the average person.'

But in another interview in 2020, Campbell said: I know I've got more about me as a player [than just the throw-ins].'

In a 2023 interview with Thomas Gronnemark, the specialist throw-in coach who was employed by Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, she said: 'I realised I had the throw probably when I was 12 or 13 years old.

'I was playing with boys at the time because there were no girls' teams at my age group. I just threw the ball and it was further than the boys and they said "you can do that again, you can do the next one."

'I think gradually, that was the realisation this was longer than a normal person's throw-in and as I've grown up, they've just got longer.'

She has played 49 times for the Republic of Ireland, scoring four goals.

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