McGee magnificent as NZ thump Irish

Teenage rising star Braxton Sorensen-McGee grabbed a hat-trick of tries as reigning champions New Zealand secured top spot in Pool C of the Women’s Rugby World Cup with an emphatic 40-0 rout of Ireland in Brighton on Sunday.

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Victory saw the record six-time World Cup winners gain revenge for their shock 29-27 loss to Ireland at last year’s WXV tournament in Vancouver, with 18-year-old wing Sorensen-McGee leading the way on Sunday as the Black Ferns scored six tries.

New Zealand's unbeaten group campaign means they will face South Africa in the last eight.

The Springboks, already through to their first Women’s World Cup quarterfinal, were overpowered 57-10 by France later on Sunday with Les Bleues, the winners of Pool D, taking on Ireland for a place in the last four.

The other two quarterfinals had been confirmed on Saturday, with tournament favourites England — having equalled their own record of 30 straight wins — now playing Scotland, and world No.2 Canada up against Australia.

New Zealand coach Allan Bunting, reflecting on the win over Ireland, said: “Job done, pretty proud of that one.”