Emilie Boulard and Joanna Grisez score two tries each
Japan rally to beat Spain while Italy thrash Brazil
France enjoyed a one-sided 57-10 victory over South Africa at Franklin's Gardens to take top spot in Women's Rugby World Cup 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 in the last eight.
Scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus earned a second straight player of the match award for orchestrating France's highest score over the Springbok Women in front of a sellout crowd of 15,000.
On the back of great set-pieces, Sansus's quick thinking transfixed the South Africans, bringing them to earth after beating Italy last weekend to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time.
South Africa were not helped by Chumisa Qawe's head-on-head tackle of France's Marine Ménager. Qawe's yellow card was upgraded to a 20-minute red. By the time it was 15 versus 15, France increased the score from 12-3 to 31-3.
"We really wanted to show how big we are on defence and let go in attack, have fun and play the rugby we like to play," France co-captain Manaé Feleu said. "The girls had a lot of fun."
South Africa were consoled by a 50-meter solo try by Nadine Roos at the death.
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. It was Japan's first pool match win in 31 years. Spain finished their seventh World Cup without a win for the first time.
The Sakura Fifteen responded to a 14-5 half-time deficit by scoring four consecutive tries. Japan, already dominating territory and possession, became more patient in the second half and frustrated Las Leonas into conceding 16 penalties.
Japan captain and flanker Iroha Nagata beat three tackles to open the second-half scoring. Prop Wako Kitano barged over next, followed by wing Komachi Imakugi.
Spain scrum-half Anne Fernandez de Corres received a yellow card for head contact on Japan midfielder Haruka Hirotsu, who went off for a head injury check. Her brief replacement, No 8 Jennifer Nduka, finished a 20-phase attack for Japan's fifth try.
Italy's Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi claimed 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.
