Harpenden's Sarah McKenna and Datchworth and Welwyn's Hannah Botterman are two of the changes for England ahead of their final group game at the 2021 Rugby World Cup.

The Red Roses need one point against South Africa to guarantee their passage to the quarter-final while a win would give them top spot in the pool.

But with confidence high that they already have a good ranking in the last-eight, head coach Simon Middleton has named 13 different starters for Sunday's match at the Waitakere Stadium.

Former Welwyn junior Zoe Harrison and Marlie Packer, who will captain the side, are the only two players to retain their spot in the starting XV.

Botterman comes in at loose-head prop while the third of the ex-Welwyn contingent, Helena Rowland, drops down to the bench.

McKenna comes in at full-back.

Middleton said: "I was really pleased with the performance against France. We dominated large parts of the contest and I felt the scoreline didn’t reflect the game overall.

"We know we will need to be more clinical going forward but our game management was world class, we hardly gave France a look in and the way we closed out the game showed all the composure we’ve come to expect from the squad. 

"The game against South Africa is an extremely important fixture as it dictates our passage and route in the quarter-finals.
 
"It’s also the first time the majority of our starting XV start a World Cup match which is something to be celebrated for each individual and collectively.

"We’re all really excited to see how they go.

"South Africa have shown they’re a strong side in their first two matches against France and Fiji and we expect this weekend’s fixture to be no different.

"They’re developing well and that’s testament to their programme and the work of Lynne Cantwell (high performance manager), Stanley Raubenheimer (head coach) and their staff."

England matchday 23 to play South Africa

15. Sarah McKenna (Saracens, 42 caps)
14. Abby Dow (Wasps, 26 caps)
13. Holly Aitchison (Saracens, 11 caps)
12. Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury, 5 caps)
11. Jess Breach (Saracens, 23 caps)
10. Zoe Harrison (VC; Saracens, 42 caps)
9. Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 6 caps)

1. Hannah Botterman (Saracens, 32 caps)
2. Connie Powell (Gloucester-Hartpury, 6 caps)
3. Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 13 caps)
4. Rosie Galligan (Harlequins, 7 caps)
5. Cath O’Donnell (Loughborough Lightning, 22 caps)
6. Morwenna Talling (Loughborough Lightning, 4 caps)
7. Marlie Packer (C; Saracens, 85 caps)
8. Poppy Cleall (Saracens, 59 caps)

Substitutes
16. Amy Cokayne (Harlequins, 66 caps)
17. Vickii Cornborough (Harlequins, 72 caps)
18. Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 48 caps)
19. Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 34 caps)
20. Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning, 5 caps)
21. Leanne Infante (Saracens, 54 caps)
22. Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 105 caps)
23. Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 19 caps)

How does the quarter-final draw work?

The winners of each of the three pools qualify for the quarter-finals, as does the runners-up.

The final two places go to the best ranked of the third-placed finishers.

England are currently ranked third on nine points, one point behind New Zealand and Canada.

Should that be the case after the final round of fixtures, they will play the sixth-ranked side in the last eight with either second or seventh seeds in the semi-finals.

The four matches in the quarter-finals take place on either Saturday, October 29 or Sunday, October 30