Pool C of the 2021 Rugby World Cup began on 8 October 2022 with France taking on South Africa at Eden Park. The pool includes two-time champions England and France, who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in 2017. They are joined by South Africa, who qualified as champions of the 2021 Rugby Africa Women's Cup, and by debutants Fiji, who qualified for the tournament with their win over Samoa.
Standings All times are local New Zealand Daylight Time (UTC+13)
South Africa vs France
Team details FB 15Nadine RoosRW 14Nomawethu MabengeOC 13Zintle MpuphaIC 12Aphiwe NgwevuLW 11Simamkele Namba FH 10Libbie Janse van Rensburg SH 9 Tayla Kinsey N8 8 Aseza HeleOF 7 Sinazo Mcatshulwa BF 6 Sizophila Solontsi RL 5 Rights Mkhari LL 4 Nolusindiso Booi (c)TP 3 Babalwa LatshaHK 2 Lindelwa Gwala LP 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie Replacements:HK 16Roseline Botes PR 17Asithandile Ntoyanto PR 18Monica MazibukwanaLK 19Catha Jacobs FL 20Lusanda Dumke SH 21Unam Tose FH 22Zenay Jordaan FB 23Eloise Webb Coach: Stanley Raubenheimer FB 15Chloé Jacquet RW 14Joanna GrisezOC 13Maëlle FiloponIC 12Gabrielle Vernier LW 11Émilie BoulardFH 10Caroline DrouinSH 9 Laure Sansus N8 8 Romane Ménager OF 7 Marjorie Mayans BF 6 Charlotte EscuderoRL 5 Madoussou FallLL 4 Céline Ferer (c)TP 3 Clara Joyeux HK 2 Laure Touyé LP 1 Annaëlle Deshayes Replacements:HK 16Agathe Sochat PR 17Coco Lindelauf PR 18Assia Khalfaoui LK 19Manaé Feleu FL 20Émeline Gros SH 21Pauline Bourdon FH 22Lina Queyroi WG 23Mélissande Llorens Coach: Thomas Darracq Player of the Match: Laure Sansus (France) Touch judges: Sara Cox (England) Kat Roche (United States) Television match official: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) Notes: Joanna Grisez (France) made her international debut.
Fiji vs England
Team details FB 15Roela RadiniyavuniRW 14Aloesi NakociOC 13Raijieli Laqeretabua IC 12Sesenieli DonuLW 11Vitalina NaikoreFH 10Merewalesi Rokouono SH 9 Lavena CavuruN8 8 Karalaini Naisewa OF 7 Ema Adivitaloga BF 6 Sulita WaisegaRL 5 Sereima Leweniqila (c) LL 4 Asinate Serevi TP 3 Vuanimasei Rasolea HK 2 Vika Matarugu LP 1 Iris Verebalavu Replacements:HK 16Bitila Tawake PR 17Bulou Vasuturaga PR 18Mereoni Namositava LK 19Merevesi Ofakimalino FL 20Raijieli Daveua SH 21Akosita Ravato FH 22Ana Maria Roqica CE 23Melaia Matanatabu Coach: Senirusi Seruvakula FB 15Ellie KildunneRW 14Lydia Thompson OC 13Emily Scarratt IC 12Helena RowlandLW 11Claudia MacDonaldFH 10Zoe HarrisonSH 9 Leanne Infante N8 8 Sarah Hunter (c) OF 7 Sadia KabeyaBF 6 Alex MatthewsRL 5 Abbie WardLL 4 Zoe AldcroftTP 3 Sarah Bern HK 2 Amy Cokayne LP 1 Victoria Cornborough Replacements:HK 16Connie Powell PR 17Hannah Botterman PR 18Maud Muir LK 19Catherine O'Donnell FL 20Poppy Cleall SH 21Lucy Packer CE 22Holly Aitchison WG 23Abigail Dow Coach: Simon Middleton Player of the Match: Sadia Kabeya (England) Touch judges: Lauren Jenner (New Zealand) Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy) Television match official: Chris Assmus (Canada) Notes: This was the first meeting between the two nations. This was Fiji's first World Cup game. England's 84 points was the highest number of points they have scored in a World Cup game, surpassing the 82 points they scored against Kazakhstan in 2010.
France vs England
Team details FB 15Chloé Jacquet RW 14Joanna GrisezOC 13Maëlle FiloponIC 12Gabrielle Vernier LW 11Émilie BoulardFH 10Caroline DrouinSH 9 Laure Sansus N8 8 Romane Ménager OF 7 Marjorie Mayans BF 6 Charlotte EscuderoRL 5 Madoussou FallLL 4 Céline Ferer (c)TP 3 Clara Joyeux HK 2 Agathe Sochat LP 1 Annaëlle Deshayes Replacements:HK 16Laure Touyé PR 17Coco Lindelauf PR 18Assia Khalfaoui LK 19Safi N'Diaye FL 20Gaëlle Hermet SH 21Pauline Bourdon CE 22Lina Queyroi WG 23Marine Ménager Coach: Thomas Darracq FB 15Ellie KildunneRW 14Lydia Thompson OC 13Emily ScarrattIC 12Helena RowlandLW 11Claudia MacDonaldFH 10Zoe HarrisonSH 9 Leanne InfanteN8 8 Sarah Hunter (c) OF 7 Marlie Packer BF 6 Alex MatthewsRL 5 Abbie WardLL 4 Zoe AldcroftTP 3 Sarah Bern HK 2 Amy CokayneLP 1 Victoria Cornborough Replacements:HK 16Connie PowellPR 17Hannah Botterman PR 18Maud Muir LK 19Catherine O'Donnell FL 20Poppy Cleall SH 21Lucy PackerCE 22Holly AitchisonWG 23Abigail Dow Coach: Simon Middleton Player of the Match: Alex Matthews (England) Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa) Kat Roche (United States) Television match official: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) Notes: Sarah Hunter earned her 137th test cap, equalling Rochelle Clark's record for most caps for England and most caps for a female player. Marjorie Mayans (France) earned her 50th test cap. This was France's first defeat in the pool stage since losing 27–8 to England in 2006.
Fiji vs South Africa
Team details FB 15Roela Radiniyavuni RW 14Akanisi Sokoiwasa OC 13Talei Wilson IC 12Sesenieli DonuLW 11Ilisapeci Delaiwau FH 10Merewalesi Rokouono SH 9 Lavena CavuruN8 8 Karalaini NaisewaOF 7 Raijieli DaveuaBF 6 Sulita Waisega RL 5 Merevesi OfakimalinoLL 4 Asinate Serevi (c)TP 3 Vuanimasei RasoleaHK 2 Vika Matarugu LP 1 Iris Verebalavu Replacements:HK 16Bitila Tawake PR 17Bulou Vasuturaga PR 18Mereoni NamositavaLK 19Joma RubutiFL 20Ema Adivitaloga SH 21Kolora Lomani FH 22Ana Maria Roqica CE 23Timaima Ravisa Coach: Senirusi Seruvakula FB 15Nadine RoosRW 14Nomawethu Mabenge OC 13Zintle MpuphaIC 12Aphiwe Ngwevu LW 11Simamkele Namba FH 10Libbie Janse van RensburgSH 9 Tayla Kinsey N8 8 Aseza HeleOF 7 Sinazo McatshulwaBF 6 Sizophila Solontsi RL 5 Rights Mkhari LL 4 Nolusindiso Booi (c)TP 3 Babalwa Latsha HK 2 Lindelwa Gwala LP 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie Replacements:HK 16Roseline Botes PR 17Asithandile Ntoyanto PR 18Monica Mazibukwana LK 19Lerato Makua FL 20Lusanda Dumke SH 21Unam Tose FH 22Zenay Jordaan FB 23Eloise Webb Coach: Stanley Raubenheimer Player of the Match: Vuanimasei Rasolea (Fiji) Assistant referees: Aurélie Groizeleau (France) Doriane Domenjo (France) Television match official: Ian Tempest (England) Notes: This was the first meeting between the two nations. Zenay Jordaan earned her 35th test cap, surpassing Zandile Nojoko as the most capped South African female.
France vs Fiji
Team details FB 15Émilie BoulardRW 14Mélissande LlorensOC 13Maëlle Filopon IC 12Caroline Drouin LW 11Marine MénagerFH 10Jessy TrémoulièreSH 9 Pauline Bourdon N8 8 Émeline GrosOF 7 Julie AnneryBF 6 Gaëlle Hermet (c)RL 5 Safi N'Diaye LL 4 Céline Ferer TP 3 Assia Khalfaoui HK 2 Laure Touyé LP 1 Coco Lindelauf Replacements:HK 16Célia Domain PR 17Yllana Brosseau PR 18Rose Bernadou LK 19Manaé Feleu FL 20Charlotte Escudero SH 21Alexandra Chambon CE 22Lina Queyroi FB 23Chloé Jacquet Coach: Thomas Darracq FB 15Roela Radiniyavuni RW 14Raijieli Laqeretabua OC 13Melaia Matanatabu IC 12Sesenieli Donu LW 11Vitalina NaikoreFH 10Kolora LomaniSH 9 Ana Maria Roqica N8 8 Sereima LeweniqilaOF 7 Karalaini NaisewaBF 6 Raijieli Daveua RL 5 Merevesi Ofakimalino LL 4 Asinate Serevi (c)TP 3 Siteri RasoleaHK 2 Vika Matarugu LP 1 Iris Verebalavu Replacements:HK 16Bitila Tawake PR 17Mereoni Vonosere PR 18Bulou Vasuturaga LK 19Sulita Waisega FL 20Ema Adivitaloga SH 21Lavena Cavuru FH 22Rusila Nagasau CE 23Talei Wilson Coach: Senirusi Seruvakula Player of the Match: Pauline Bourdon (France) Assistant referees: Julianne Zussman (Canada) Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy) Television match official: Chris Assmus (Canada) Notes: This was the first meeting between the two nations.
England vs South Africa
Team details FB 15Sarah McKenna RW 14Abigail DowOC 13Holly AitchisonIC 12Tatyana HeardLW 11Jess BreachFH 10Zoe Harrison SH 9 Lucy Packer N8 8 Poppy CleallOF 7 Marlie Packer (c) BF 6 Morwenna TallingRL 5 Catherine O'Donnell LL 4 Rosie GalliganTP 3 Shaunagh Brown HK 2 Connie Powell LP 1 Hannah Botterman Replacements:HK 16Amy Cokayne PR 17Maud Muir PR 18Sarah Bern LK 19Zoe Aldcroft FL 20Sadia Kabeya SH 21Leanne Infante FH 22Helena Rowland FB 23Ellie Kildunne Coach: Simon Middleton FB 15Eloise WebbRW 14Nomawethu Mabenge OC 13Simamkele NambaIC 12Chumisa QaweLW 11Nadine RoosFH 10Zenay Jordaan SH 9 Tayla Kinsey N8 8 Aseza HeleOF 7 Lerato MakuaBF 6 Lusanda DumkeRL 5 Catha Jacobs LL 4 Nolusindiso Booi (c) TP 3 Babalwa Latsha HK 2 Lindelwa Gwala LP 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie Replacements:HK 16Micke Günter PR 17Yonela Ngxingolo PR 18Azisa Mkiva LK 19Nompumelelo Mathe FL 20Sizophila Solontsi SH 21Rumandi PotgieterFH 22Jakkie Cilliers FB 23Chuma Qawe Coach: Stanley Raubenheimer Player of the Match: Tatyana Heard (England) Assistant referees: Hollie Davidson (Scotland) Tyler Miller (Australia) Television match official: Lee Jeffrey (New Zealand) Notes: England became the first women's side to play 300 test matches. Marlie Packer captained England for the first time. Victoria Cornborough and Emily Scarratt were initially named on the England bench at 17 and 22, but withdrew due to injury. Maud Muir was demoted to the bench from tighthead and Shaunagh Brown was added to the starting team, while Ellie Kildunne, replaced Scarratt, pushing Helena Rowland to 22.
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