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New Zealand team
Centre Amy du Plessis has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.
It’s a blow to the Black Ferns, but one they should be able to absorb.
Outside back Katelyn Vahaakolo joins the group and will make an appearance off the bench.
There are 16 players who won the World Cup last time out though it’s hardly a grizzled team. 18-year-old sensation, Braxton Sorensen-McGee make her tournament debut on the wing.
New Zealand: Renee Holmes; Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe; Stacey Waaka, Theresa Stefano; Ruahei Demant, Maia Joseph; Chryss Vilko, Georgia Ponsonby, Vesinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, Maiakawanaulani Roos, Alansa Bremner, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Jorja Miller, Kaipo Olsen-Baker.
Replacements: Atlanta Lolohea, Awina Tangen-Wainohu, Kate Henwood, Laura Bayfield, Kenedy Tukuafu, Iritana Hohai, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Ayesha Leti-I’iga
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Daniel Gallan
At last, the business end. The place where every ruck, every tackle, every pass has meaning. A place where there’s no second chance and only victory will suffice.
Welcome to the knockouts of the World Cup. Four teams are clearly head and shoulders above the rest. But that doesn’t mean we have no chance of an upset.
Will we get one today? Unlikely. We kick things off with the reigning champions New Zealand playing the lowest ranked team left in the competition. This is South Africa’s first foray into the latter stages of the tournament. Simply getting here constitutes a victory. Anything other than a romp for the Black Ferns would come as a seismic shock.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to look out for. Can the Kiwis spark and show that they’re the real deal? Can they cause a few scares for their competitors? And can the Springboks underline their progress with a commendable show?
We’ll find out when things kick off at 1pm BST.
Team news, some Saturday reading and other bits to come.