Henley centre Rachel Burford will make her England debut on Monday when England take on IRB Rugby World Cup newcomers South Africa at Ellerslie Park in Edmonton, Canada, kick-off 930pm BST.

Burford, who turned 20 just last month, has been given the nod to start in the centre taking over from Clifton’s Kim Oliver. She is one of a handful of changes head coach Geoff Richards has made following England’s tournament opening 18-0 win over the USA on Thursday.

Richards said: “I am really pleased to be able to give Rachel her first start for England and to do it in a World Cup game, what an achievement. She is a player who has come through our system and developed superbly well. As an England Under 19s player she was outstanding and I am sure this will be the first cap of many for Rachel.”

Wasps’ Sue Day will lead England against the Springboks, who were handed a 68-12 defeat by Australia last week, with Worcester’s Jo Yapp moving to the bench. Wasps youngster Amy Turner will wear the number nine jersey.

Wasps duo Vanessa Huxford and Selena Rudge take over from Rochelle Clark and Amy Garnett respectively in the front-row, with Clifton prop Katy Storie earning her first England start after making her debut against the US from the bench.

Richmond’s Jenny Lyne swaps with club and country teammate Jenny Sutton to start in the second-row while Shannon Baker gets her first World Cup start in the backrow. Saracens’ Helen Clayton comes off the bench to start at number seven with Clifton’s Georgia Stevens moving to number eight.

Wasps’ Shelley Rae keeps the number 10 shirt, while Henley’s Danielle Waterman makes her return from a thigh injury. Burford is joined by her club teammate, Michaela Staniford, in the centre with Day moving to full-back.

Richards added: “With the turn-around between games in this tournament being so short, it is massively important to rotate the starting XV and give all the players enough rest. That is why this starting XV is in no shape or form a second team. I have complete faith in all 26 players and know that each and everyone of them will do the job required of them which is to get a win and keep us on track.

“Following our opening win against the US I am of course looking for the girls to step up. That game was a difficult one to kick-off the World Cup with and I am sure the US will be a team who cause trouble for a lot of countries. Whilst we didn’t play as well as we all know we can we are confident that we can continue to realise our goals for this tournament.

“Firstly, however, we have got to channel all our energies into beating South Africa, who may be new to the World Cup, but who are certainly a side that’ve made rapid progress over the past year. They have some strong forwards and some very fast backs so we will not be taking them lightly.”

England Women v South Africa

1 Vanessa Huxford  (Wasps)
2 Selena Rudge (Wasps)
3 Katy Storie  (Clifton)
4 Jenny Lyne  (Richmond)
5 Tamara Taylor (Thirsk)
6 Shannon Baker  (Richmond)
7 Helen Clayton (Saracens)
8 Georgia Stevens (Clifton)
9 Amy Turner (Wasps)
10 Shelley Rae (Wasps)
11 Danielle Waterman (Henley)
12 Rachel Burford  (Henley)
13 Michaela Staniford (Henley)
14 Nicola Crawford (Worcester)
15 Sue Day  (Wasps) 
Replacements:
16 Amy Garnett (Saracens)
17 Vanessa Gray (Wasps)
18 Jennifer Sutton (Richmond)
19 Margaret Alphonsi(Saracens)
20 Jo Yapp   (Worcester)
21 Karen Andrew (Saracens)
22 Charlotte Barras (Lichfield)

England’s World Cup Schedule:

August 31st   England v USA at Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton,
KO 12am BST WON 18-0
September 4th  England v South Africa at Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton    KO 9.30pm BST
September 8th  England v France at St. Albert RFC, Edmonton
   KO 12am BST
September 12th  Semi-finals:
1st v 4th (M19), St. Albert, KO 12am BST 
2nd v 3rd (M20), Ellerslie Rugby Park, KO 12am BST
5th v 8th (M21), St. Albert, KO 9.30pm BST
6th v 7th (M22), Ellerslie Rugby Park, KO 9.30pm BST
9th v 12th (M23), St. Albert, KO 7pm BST
10th v 11th (M24), Ellerslie Rugby Park, KO 7pm BST
September 16th  Consolation Finals (All Ellerslie Rugby Park):
Loser M21 v Loser M22, KO 12am BST
Winner M23 v Winner M24, KO 9.30pm BST
Loser M23 v Loser M24, KO 7pm BST  
September 17th  Finals (All at the Commonwealth Stadium)
Winner M21 v Winner M 22, KO 7pm BST
Loser M19 v Loser M20, KO 9.30pm BST
Winner M19 v Winner M20, KO 12am BST

Ends..