France, New Zealand take top spots in Womens' World Cup pools
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Women's World Cup 2025 - Pool C - New Zealand v Japan - Sandy Park, Exeter, Britain - August 31, 2025 New Zealand's Braxton Sorensen-McGee kicks a conversion Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
NORTHAMPTON, England : France and New Zealand finished top in their respective Women’s Rugby World Cup pools with convincing victories on Sunday as the group stage came to a close and the quarter-final pairings were finalised.
France enjoyed a one-sided 57-10 victory over South Africa at Franklin’s Gardens to take top spot in Pool D, scoring nine tries with two each for Emilie Boulard and Joanna Grisez.
They will take on Ireland at Sandy Park in Exeter next Sunday while New Zealand will kick off the quarter-finals at the same venue on Saturday against South Africa.
In the other quarter-finals, second ranked Canada take on Australia in Bristol on Saturday, followed the next day by hosts England against Scotland.
Teenage flyer Braxton Sorensen-McGee scored a hat-trick of tries as New Zealand sent a signal of intent by beating Ireland 40-0 in their Pool C clash in Brighton to preserve a 100 per cent start to the defence of their title.
The Black Ferns scored six tries in front of a sell-out 30,000 crowd, going 12-0 ahead after 20 minutes as Stacey Waaka sped over in the 15th minute before prop forward Chryss Viliko powered over five minutes later from close range.
The 18-year-old Sorensen-McGee jinked past two defenders to score the first of her three tries to put New Zealand 19-0 up at the break, before showing another impressive turn of speed in the 58th minute to go over for the Kiwis' fourth try.
New Zealand, who won the last World Cup on home soil four years ago, also had the opportunity to show their defensive qualities, which will come in handy in the knockout stages, as they tigerishly kept Ireland at bay in the latter stages of the game, thwarting efforts at a comeback.
Sorensen-McGee then ran past a tiring Irish defence to complete her hat-trick with a minute to go and straight from the kick-off she was part of a sweeping move downfield that Maia Joseph finished off.
Japan came from behind to beat Spain 29-21 earlier on Sunday in York to finish third in Pool C but both teams had already been eliminated.
Italy's Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi got a hat-trick of tries as her side proved much too strong for World Cup newcomers Brazil, winning 64-3 at Northampton to claim third spot in Pool D.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)
