England 75-0 South Africa: Sarina Wiegman watches on as Red Roses complete 13-try HAMMERING

Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman watched her England football team’s rugby compatriots put South Africa to the sword in their final World Cup pool clash in Auckland.

Wiegman led England to Euros glory this summer and was in New Zealand after attending the draw for her side’s World Cup which will take place next year.

The Dutch boss has already sealed her place in English sporting folklore and Simon Middleton – the Red Roses head coach – could well follow her in doing so in the weeks to come.

Player of the match, Rosie Galligan (pictured), was one of two players to score a hat-trick

Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman (centre) watched on in Auckland as England beat South Africa

England are well placed for what would be their third World Cup success. Their 13-try hammering of South Africa was their 28th-straight win and saw them finish top of Pool C and will face off against Australia in the quarter-finals of the competition.

The victory was based on forward power with second row Rosie Galligan and hooker Connie Powell both grabbing hat-tricks. Now the serious work begins for England.

Middleton’s side were always going to make the knock-out stages, but both the standard of their opposition and the pressure on them will now increase.

England had made 13 changes to their starting side for South Africa when confirming their team on Thursday as Middleton rested his first-choice stars ahead of the knock-out fixtures.

He was forced into further rotation on the eve of kick-off. Key figures prop Vickii Cornborough and centre Emily Scarratt were both removed from the bench due to minor injuries.

Wiegman (pictured) is in New Zealand for the Women’s Football World Cup draw this weekend 

The result is the Red Roses’ 28th win on the bounce and will see them finish top of Group C

Connie Powell (pictured) also claimed a hat-trick of tries during the 75-0 landslide win

It was a precautionary move from Middleton who will want both players fit for the quarter-finals.

England were captained by Marlie Packer for the first time and the Saracens flanker was straight into the action with an early turnover. Her team was soon up and running.

England’s line-out drive has been a strength in New Zealand and it was the source of their first try, with Galligan the one to score. Galligan’s World Cup bow was one to remember.

South Africa lock Catha Jacobs was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle on Poppy Cleall. Jacobs was lucky not to see red as she was upright in contact and made no attempt to get low.

Packer pointed that out to referee Lauren Jenner. Regardless, England’s accuracy was initially poor.

England will now take on Australia in the quarter-finals of the tournament next weekend

England coach Simon Middleton (left) celebrated the result with his players after the match

There were too many handling errors and losses of possession in the first quarter. Middleton had admitted pre-match that mammoth changes would mean ‘some lack of flow’.

No 8 Cleall did grab England’s second after a monster Red Rose scrum and Galligan made it two for the afternoon from another drive. Even being sacked from the initial line-out couldn’t stop Galligan.

South Africa’s poor discipline was a problem. They conceded 11 penalties in the first 30 minutes.

It allowed prop Shaunagh Brown, an 11th hour addition to the team, to be driven over. South Africa captain Nolusindiso Booi had tried and failed to illegally stop the score.

Booi became the second South African to be sent to the sin bin and Powell grabbed England’s fifth. Once again, the driving maul was the unsurprising platform from which the try came.

Loughborough flanker Sadia Kbeya (pictured) ran in two tries for the Red Roses in the game

South Africa’s most capped player Zenay Jordaan (right) played her final game for the side 

Powell joined Galligan in scoring her second to add to England’s 29-0 half-time lead when the game restarted. Zoe Harrison kicked her third conversion of the day.

Packer marked a memorable match with a try of her own. The flanker was involved in some neat back-row play with Cleall. The floodgates were now open.

Galligan completed a rarity in international rugby – a second row hat-trick. Her third came after a strong run from wing Abby Dow. South Africa’s increasing fatigue allowed England to click.

Their handling improved. Cleall grabbed her second and a try from replacement Sadia Kabeya involved some brilliant interplay between backs and forwards.

England look in good shape to progress in the tournament and challenge for their third RWC title 

Dow scored in the corner and Powell joined Galligan in becoming a treble hero. The only downside for Galligan was having a fourth try ruled out for dropping the ball on the line.

There was still time before the final whistle for Kabeya to round off the scoring and for England replacement prop Sarah Bern to be yellow carded for a head-on-head tackle.

Like Jacobs earlier in the game, Bern was fortunate the card was not red.