Billy Vunipola could make his comeback against Wales on Saturday as England prepare the only specialist number eight selected in their World Cup squad for a heavy workload.

Vunipola, 30, has been sidelined since April because of two knee operations but head coach Steve Borthwick insists the bulldozing Saracen is in the shape of his life and could be in action at Twickenham in the second of four warm-up Tests.

Ball-carrying power, especially at close quarters, gives Vunipola a point of difference that is seen as essential for the tournament in France, even if the last of his 68 caps was won in November.

A cloud on the horizon at number eight is that there is no front-line alternative present in the 33-man squad picked by Borthwick, although Lewis Ludlam, Ben Earl and Tom Curry are options in the position.

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It was felt by Borthwick’s predecessor Eddie Jones that Vunipola benefits from playing as frequently as possible and there will be no deviation from that approach in order to get the best out of an influential forward.

“Billy is a guy who wants to play rugby and wants to play a lot of minutes,” said Borthwick, who revealed that Ollie Chessum’s return from a serious foot injury is also imminent.

“We want him to play as much as he possibly can and he’s desperate to play as much as he possibly can.

“Billy brings a certain skill set that’s different to the skill sets of other players and that’s why I picked him.

“I’m very clear about how we need to play in this tournament and that’s ultimately why I made the decision to go with Billy.

“He looks in great shape and is the fittest I’ve ever seen him. His experience will add to this squad.

“He’s a very mature player now. He’s taken a very mature approach to his recovery, and has been very determined to be fit for this World Cup.”

Borthwick will reveal at Thursday’s team announcement if the second instalment of the double header against Wales is the right moment for Vunipola and Chessum to be restored to the pack but Curry will definitely not be involved.

The Sale openside has been struggling with a twisted ankle incurred in training last week and will not be available until the appointment with Ireland on August 19 at the earliest.

Earl could secure a spot in the back row fielded at Twickenham, however, as he celebrates his success in securing World Cup selection despite ferocious competition at flanker.

It will be a moment to savour for the 2022 Gallagher Premiership player of the season, who was marginalised by Jones and only made two appearances under Borthwick in the Six Nations.

“Ben brings a point of difference in his attacking game, his athleticism and ability to work on edges in attack,” Borthwick said.

“He featured in the Six Nations and was in the training squad regularly. I asked him to go away and work on a couple of things.

“Richard Hill (team manager) and I checked in every week as part of a debrief process and Ben was so diligent in applying those things to his game.”

While England are blessed with options in the back row, at hooker they have been exposed by Luke Cowan-Dickie’s shoulder problem that means Jamie George is being supported by rookies Jack Walker and Theo Dan.

“I’ll be very clear, we’d want more depth and experience in that position, but that’s the situation we have found ourselves in,” Borthwick said.

Golden Trick showed plenty of guts to lead home a one-two for owners Bronte Collection in the valuable Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas on Monday.

There was €148,500 on offer for the winner of this fiercely-competitive two-year-old event, with Hugo Palmer’s raider holding off Kevin Ryan’s fellow British-trained runner Jungle Mate in a tight finish.

A winner at Chester last time, the winner was drawn on the far rail and stuck to the paint all the way up the six-furlong straight in the hands of Ben Coen.

Asked to kick on as the race entered the final furlong and a half, Golden Trick soon came to life under Coen and opened up a gap between him and the remainder of the field as the 20 runners were spread right across the width of the track.

Golden Trick’s advantage was diminishing by the stride inside the final stages as those on the far side were closing at a rate of knots. But the 13-2 scorer still had enough up his sleeve to come home a half-length winner and return to Palmer’s Cheshire base with the first prize.

Coen said: “I was hoping that they’d stay far side and not complicate things and go across.

“I had a lovely run the whole way. He came under me at halfway, I gave him a dig and kept him rolling. I probably got there too soon but he’s a hardy horse and he gets through that ground really well.

“In the last 75 yards he was having a look around and I’d say if something had come close to me, he would have went again.

“I had watched his couple of races. Hugo said he was straightforward and that he had come on from the last day and he’d handle the ground so to keep it simple. I’m delighted.”

In the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Rated Race, it was Adrian McGuinness’ Rush Queen that got the better of Aidan O’Brien’s 4-5 favourite The Caribbean.

The filly was seen racing over seven furlongs in a Group Three prior to this, but thrived when dropped back to the minimum distance and proved the perfect tonic for her handler who endured a testing time during the recent Galway Festival.

“It’s a bit of compensation (after Galway), it’s forgotten about now after today,” said McGuinness.

“Cian (MacRedmond, jockey) gave her a great ride, I know it was a small field. I thought it was going to be tactical and I told him to sit behind Ryan and try to come with one blast with her.

“Aidan’s horse had blinkers on, so we were saying that he might not be the most straightforward. That’s exactly what he did and she quickened up really well and went away nicely.

“We might hunt a bit of black type with her again and maybe even try to find something in England. She’s for sale as well, but if she’s not sold we will hunt blacktype.

“She’s a very genuine filly and she’s won a nice pot of money today so it’s great.

“She’s not slow, I’ve worked her with the Listed filly at home (Tiger Belle) and there is not a whole pile between them. She travelled very well today.”

Liverpool continue to be frustrated in their pursuit of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia after having a third bid rejected by the Championship side.

After their initial two offers of £34million plus £4m and £42m were turned down, the Reds returned with a proposal worth £46m but that too has been rejected, the PA news agency understands.

Saints are understood to be looking for £50m for a player who has made just 29 Premier League appearances in one top-flight season.

Negotiations are expected to continue between the two sides.

Mohamed Salah’s agent, meanwhile, has dismissed speculation linking the forward with a move to Saudi Arabia as the 31-year-old “remains committed” to the club.

A report in the Middle East claimed talks were taking place between the Egypt international’s representatives and Al-Ittihad about a deal said to be worth around £155million over two years to the player.

Salah’s former team-mate Fabinho has already made the move to Al-Ittihad this summer in a £40m transfer.

In that context the £60m fee being touted for Salah – who has scored 139 goals in 231 Premier League appearances – appeared to under-value a player who is only 12 months into a three-year deal which is the most lucrative contract in Liverpool’s history.

And Salah’s representative insists the former Chelsea and Roma forward has no intention of leaving Anfield in any case.

“If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer. Mohamed remains committed to LFC,” Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas posted on Twitter.

Kieran Reilly delivered an emphatic bike drop after the run that earned him BMX Freestyle Park gold at the UCI Cycling World Championships on Glasgow Green.

There were still six riders to go – and a 50-minute rain delay to endure – when Reilly finished his attempt but the 22-year-old European champion already knew he had delivered on his game plan.

And when reigning Olympic champion Logan Martin, the last man to go after the competition finally resumed, came up half a point short of Reilly’s winning score of 95.80, the celebrations could start all over again as the Newcastle-born rider became world champion.

“It’s next level,” Reilly said. “It’s been a stressful half-hour sitting behind there. It got to the point where it’s guaranteed I’ve got a medal before it rained but the difference between getting a medal and a jersey is huge…

“I still look up to the guys who have won the rainbow jersey. This is the biggest competition in the world outside the Olympics and this is the perfect stepping stone for me.

“I’ve won the Euros a couple of months ago and to have those two jerseys at the same time shows the hard work is paying off.”

Having laid down a solid first run, Reilly upped the ante in the second and landed everything he attempted.

As he criss-crossed the skatepark with a string of tricks including a 720-degree tailwhip, a 720 bar spin and a front flip tuck with no hands, the anticipation was building for Reilly’s party piece, the double flair.

And as he landed it with the final act of his 60-second run, Reilly pumped his fist before throwing his bike to the floor in sheer exhilaration.

“That was pure and utter relief for me,” said Reilly. “It’s not as often as you’d like that you come off a course knowing you’ve done everything.

“I had a game plan and it was one of the few times I’ve managed to stick to that entirely and get the perfect run I wanted.

“To be one of the few guys still doing the double flair in competition, it’s such a high-risk trick and it’s taking that risk at the end of the run.

“I stepped it up significantly. I could have thrown it all away with that one trick but I’m glad I had that belief in myself and that it paid off.”

Reilly had come to Glasgow with more modest goals – securing a top six finish and with it ensuring Great Britain would qualify at least one male rider for Paris next summer.

Having achieved that, Britain will now look to secure a second place at next year’s qualifying events.

Olympic bronze medallist Declan Brooks crashed in his second run and finished down in 20th, but Jude Jones took an impressive sixth.

The 22-year-old crashed out in his first run before recovering with an impressive second that included a number of tricks not attempted by the other riders.

“I’m happy,” he said. “I had some more but what can you do? You can’t always get what you want, but my goal was to get top 10 and I’ve stuck that so I can take something away from this.”

Attack coach Alex King has warned Wales that England will be “hurting” ahead of their Twickenham rematch.

England were underwhelming in Saturday’s 20-9 defeat to Wales in Cardiff and received strong media criticism for that poor display ahead of head coach Steve Borthwick naming his 33-man World Cup squad on Monday.

The World Cup countdown continues in Twickenham this weekend as the two sides meet again, with Wales clearly expecting a backlash from Borthwick’s men.

“We know they’ll be hurting after the weekend,” said former England outside-half King.

“I’ve read a bit of the English press and they’ve not been too kind to them.

“We know they’ve got players to come back. Everyone is at slightly different points of their development.

“This is all preparation for something that is going to kick off in a month’s time in France. They’ve got some players to come back in and we’ll concentrate on ourselves and try and improve on some areas.”

Welsh rugby had spent 2023 largely in the doldrums before Saturday’s victory over their biggest rivals.

Shook by scandal off the field and struggling for victories on it, there has been little optimism inside or outside Wales that Warren Gatland’s side can make a major impact at the World Cup next month.

But, having withstood concerted England pressure in the first half, tries from Gareth Davies and George North suggested that Gatland’s pre-match words that his side will do “something special” at the World Cup may have some substance.

King said: “Even through the Six Nations (when Wales won only once) towards the end we were starting to get an identity of what we were trying to do.

“It was a tough time for Welsh rugby and there was a lot going on off the field, but the boys stuck together.

“This group has been working for 11 weeks and it was great to see some of the stuff we’ve been working on come through.

“It was certainly a good start both sides of the ball. We were resilient and stayed in the fight first half when we were under the cosh.

“Then when we got the chance second half we were pretty accurate and probably left two or three out there as well.”

Louis Rees-Zammit was denied a spectacular third try when he was adjudged to have knocked on, harshly in the view of some observers.

The Gloucester wing certainly possesses the X-factor to trouble defences and excite crowds and King believes the Welsh back division is full of flair.

He said: “When Rio (Dyer), Louis and ‘Pens’ (Leigh Halfpenny) get the ball there’s an excitement and that’s how we want to play, with a tactical brain as well.

“There’s a balance there underpinned by good defence and a good set-piece, and if we want to be successful over the next two months all parts of our game must be functioning.

“There were moments in that second half that were testament to Welsh rugby which, to me, is about ball movement, speedy backs and getting the crowd excited.

“I’ve seen the quality and level of work we’ve done over the last 11 weeks. I was pleased with the attitude and mindset to really go and play.”

Wales held an open training session in front of nearly 10,000 fans at the Principality Stadium on Monday.

Hooker Ryan Elias and second row Dafydd Jenkins were missing after picking up injuries against England, although neither are understood to be serious enough to put their World Cup ambitions at risk.

Injured backs Gareth Anscombe and Johnny Williams were also missing from the session, while number eight Taulupe Faletau played a limited role.

Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from August 7.

England scraped through to the World Cup quarter-finals after beating Nigeria on penalties.

Raphael Varane made his feelings on this season’s rule changes clear.

And found support from Rio Ferdinand.

Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton also shared his opinion.

Inter Miami celebrated reaching the Leagues Cup quarter-final.

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Happy birthdays.

Coco Gauff reflected on the fourth singles title of her career.

Dereck Chisora found an opponent for Anthony Joshua on Saturday.

Not a bad view.

Romain Grosjean shaved years off.

Vauban staked his Melbourne Cup claim with an impressive victory in the Ballyroan Stakes at Naas.

Willie Mullins’ five-year-old is a three-time Grade One winner over obstacles, but has begun to make a real name for himself on the Flat, winning the Copper Horse Handicap by seven and a half lengths at Royal Ascot.

He needed to finish in the first three of this mile-and-a-half Group Three to secure his berth in the Flemington showpiece on November 7 and did so in fine style.

Vauban was ridden forward, tracking the pace set by Gooloogong and Pivotal Trigger in the hands of Colin Keane and loomed up menacingly as they straightened for home.

Keane soon asked his mount to launch his challenge and he immediately set about putting the race to bed, storming clear up the home straight with Joseph O’Brien’s Valiant King the only horse to get near the winner as the 4-6 favourite recorded a bloodless length-and-a-half triumph.

“We’re delighted with him and Colin was happy. He said they went a good gallop, a nice even pace, and it suited him,” said Mullins’ assistant trainer David Casey.

“It ticked a box, which we were here for today, to get placed to qualify for the Melbourne Cup.

“I think there is plenty of improvement in him. He had a little break after Ascot and was ready to start back today.

“Everything was right today, there was a bit of ease in the ground and there weren’t many runners, so it suited to come today. We’re obviously delighted with what he did.”

Vauban holds entries for York’s Lonsdale Cup as well as the Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes and the Irish St Leger itself, both at the Curragh, and Casey says it will be down to Mullins whether the gelding takes up those engagements or heads straight to Australia for his Melbourne Cup bid.

He added: “He’s in all those races but I don’t know whether he’ll have another run or not, or go straight there. Willie will decide that.

“All those races are options, the Leger Trial and the Leger. I don’t know what he’s going to do but he’s entered in them all if he needs them.”

On the prospect of returning to hurdles next season, Casey said: “I’d say yeah, why not. I’d imagine so, but it depends on what happens.

“If he goes to Melbourne he doesn’t get back to the middle of November, so he wouldn’t be running at Christmas anyway.”

Coral make Vauban their 5-1 favourite from 6s for the Melbourne Cup, while the Closutton inmate is available at slightly bigger odds with Paddy Power who go 6-1.

Neymar has told Paris St Germain he wants to leave the club, according to reports in France.

The club have not commented publicly on the matter, but the PA news agency understands the Brazil superstar, who is under contract until 2025, has yet to formally communicate his intention to leave to the club’s executives.

It is unclear whether new PSG coach Luis Enrique sees Neymar as part of his plans in any case, but the report comes at a time when the club are resigned to either selling France striker Kylian Mbappe this summer or losing him for nothing next summer, when he will be out of contract.

Lionel Messi left the club earlier this summer to join Inter Miami and, if Neymar and Mbappe follow him out of PSG, it will well and truly mark the end of an era.

The club are trying to shake off what their president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has previously described as their “bling bling” image of the past and work to develop more players organically rather than bring in top-of-the-range superstars.

Neymar was arguably the epitome of the old approach, with PSG smashing the world transfer record to sign him from Barcelona in 2017 for 222 million euros (£200m at the time).

He has won France’s Ligue 1 title five times since joining PSG but has failed to add to the single Champions League crown he won with Barca in 2015.

Mbappe, meanwhile, has been left out of PSG’s main training group as the standoff over his contract continues.

PSG sources are convinced he has already reached an agreement to officially sign for Real Madrid when his contract expires and benefit from a 160m euro signing-on fee as a free agent.

PSG are understood to have even offered Mbappe a new contract with a “guaranteed sale” clause in it confirming he can leave for a fee next summer, but sources say his representatives have refused to engage on that, or any other, offer they have made.

PSG gave Al Hilal permission to speak to Mbappe after the Saudi club tabled a world record £259million offer last month. However, it was reported Mbappe and his representatives declined to even meet a delegation from the club when they visited Paris.

Chelsea and Barcelona are also understood to be trying to put together player-plus-cash deals to bring in Mbappe, who won the World Cup with France in 2018 and also starred at last year’s finals in Qatar.

Clive Cox will be keeping his eye on the weather forecast with a tilt at the Prix Morny a possibility for his crack two-year-old Jasour.

Although beaten a neck on debut, the son of Havana Grey gave a glimmer of his potential and having opened his account next time in a Nottingham maiden, he successfully moved up in class with a taking victory in the July Stakes at Newmarket.

He was due to try to build on that success in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood last week, but with the ground turning soft and bigger assignments lying in wait, Cox decided to hold fire with his star speedster.

Jasour could now take aim at Deauville’s Prix Morny on August 20, but if conditions are testing across the Channel, he could be diverted to York’s Gimcrack Stakes five days later.

“He’s in the Morny and the Gimcrack,” said Cox. “Obviously the ground was quite soft in Deauville last weekend, but the forecast is hopefully a lot more settled and I hope that continues to be the case.

“If conditions fall suitable there, we would be very much pleased to be heading that way and with the Gimcrack the following week, we have options if weather conditions turn against us.

“That was our reason for there being no urgency to run in the Richmond with the conditions how they turned out. While I was very happy with the horse, we knew we had some serious targets we were inclined to run in as well and it made that decision more pleasing with that in mind.”

A run in the Morny would represent a first taste of Group One action for Jasour, but with a Group Two under his belt, Cox believes his charge has all the attributes to follow in the footsteps of his 2012 Deauville scorer Reckless Abandon and strike at the top-table.

He added: “I hope it (his class) was visible in the July Stakes. We held him in high regard and amongst our really nice team of two-year-olds at home, he was our only entry for the Gimcrack which confirms our thoughts prior to the July success.

“He has done everything really well and I think especially that last run, that was the first time that we probably achieved what we had been seeing at home on the track.

“It was pleasing that everyone got to see that and he is a horse that has always encouraged our opinion to think top-end and I hope that continues to be the case.”

Another Cox youngster who could be sighted on the Knavesmire during the Ebor meeting is Symbology, who holds an entry for the Lowther Stakes and was an impressive winner at the track on debut.

She has since placed in a competitive renewal of Ascot’s Princess Margaret Stakes and the Beechdown Stables hander is pleased with her progress since her first foray into Group company.

“She has come out of the race really well and I think she was beaten by a really nice Dark Angel filly of Charlie Johnston’s (Sacred Angel),” continued Cox.

“I think she is a filly that has really only just started to come to herself and I hope there is much more progress and improvement to be seen following that pleasing placed effort in a Group Three.

“It was a big step from her maiden at York and she is a filly we hold in high regard.

“She has a Lowther entry and we had to make that entry before she had even run. It would nice to think she could run there, but we have options with her and I’m delighted with her following her second run.”

Kevin De Bruyne insists he is “way ahead” of schedule on his return from a hamstring injury that cut short his appearance in Manchester City’s Champions League final win.

The 32-year-old scored 10 goals and provided 31 assists as City won the treble last season, adding the FA Cup and Champions League to a fifth Premier League crown in six years.

De Bruyne revealed that he was carrying a hamstring injury for the last two months of the campaign and was forced off just 36 minutes into the 1-0 win over Inter Milan in June.

His first action back was off the bench as a second-half substitute in Sunday’s Community Shield meeting with Arsenal – where he set up Cole Palmer for the opening goal but then missed the first penalty as the Gunners won a shoot-out 4-1.

“I’m way ahead of schedule,” he said after the Wembley clash.

“I was probably looking to be back around the game vs Seville (in the Super Cup on August 16). I just enjoyed my summer, worked on my injury.

“I came back and the scan was good so I trained mostly alone in Japan. That went well, I’m happy.

“You don’t know how the injury will be. Mostly in the past I’ve always been quite a quick healer. It’s the body.”

City begin the defence of their league title with a trip to Sky Bet Championship winners Burnley on Friday night.

De Bruyne, though, admits he does not know if he will be fit enough to start at Turf Moor.

“I don’t know how I am physically,” added the Belgium international.

“I’ve probably trained five or six times with the team. I’m not too worried about it. I played 45 minutes at a good level so I’m happy with that.

“I’m getting better and there’s still around 70-80 games this year so I should be fine!”

Pep Guardiola has yet to confirm who will take over as City’s new captain this season after Ilkay Gundogan departed for Barcelona.

Kyle Walker – linked with a move to Bayern Munich this summer – led City out at Wembley, while De Bruyne took the armband when he replaced Mateo Kovacic on 64 minutes.

Asked about the captaincy, De Bruyne replied: “Nothing yet. I don’t know.

“If I get it, I get it. It’s not going to change anything I do for the club. This is my ninth year, I know the club inside out and people know whatever they ask of me, I’ll do.

“I’m not too worried. I try to do the same as always. It’s an honour if I get it and if not, it doesn’t matter.”

Spycatcher will be targeted at the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock following his near-miss in Sunday’s Prix Maurice de Gheest.

Having impressed in a Group Three at the track four weeks earlier, the five-year-old returned to Deauville for Sunday’s Group One feature and looked set to provide trainer Karl Burke with a first top-level success in almost four years when quickening clear of the field.

In the end he was mowed down by King Gold, with just a short head separating the pair at the line.

Burke said: “It was a bit frustrating as it was literally a nod of the heads, wasn’t it? Sometimes they go for you and sometimes they go against you, it’s just a shame it went against us in a Group One.

“I think he was probably the best horse in the race. Take nothing away from the winner, who stays really well, whereas we have that turn of foot and got away from them by that two or three lengths and probably thought we had the race in the bag at the furlong pole.

“The winner just cut us down and then we battled back again, credit to Spycatcher, but it was heads up heads down and it went against us.”

The Spigot Lodge handler is now hoping similarly testing conditions prevail on Merseyside on September 9 to give his charge the best chance of going one better ahead of a likely tilt at the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot in October.

“Fingers crossed he stays in one piece and Haydock will be the plan, presuming the ground is right, and also Champions Day at Ascot, which nine times out of 10 does come up in our favour,” he added.

“We’re in the lap of the gods really as if either of those races are run on fast ground he won’t be there, but hopefully we’ll find some nice sprint races for him here or in France or wherever.”

Two and a half lengths behind his stablemate in fourth at Deauville was Cold Case, who Burke feels is now in need of more of a stamina test.

“He ran well, Cliff (Lee, jockey) just felt he was a little bit behind the bridle for whatever reason and he didn’t show his usual dash,” said the trainer.

“A step up in trip is definitely in the offing for him. He’ll go up to seven furlongs and we’ll probably try him at a mile before the season’s out.

“He’s a high-class horse but is probably not at that level just yet. Something like the Park Stakes at Doncaster next month could be a good one for him.”

England boss Sarina Wiegman admitted “sweetest person” Lauren James “lost her emotions” as she received a red card that could see the 21-year-old miss the remainder of the World Cup.

The Lionesses advanced to the quarter-finals after surviving James’ dismissal late in the second half to beat Nigeria on penalties, with Euro 2022 hero Chloe Kelly scoring the winning spot-kick in a 4-2 shoot-out success.

James’ brace and two assists earned her player-of-the-match honours against China, but this time she was sent off after it was ruled she had deliberately stepped on the back of Nigeria defender Michelle Alozie with three minutes of normal time remaining of a game that ended goalless after 120 minutes.

Wiegman, who had not watched the incident back, said: “She’s an inexperienced player on this stage and has done really well, and I think in a split second she just lost her emotions.

“And of course she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. She’s the sweetest person I know, and things happen like that and you can’t change it anymore, so it’s a huge lesson for her to learn, but of course it’s not something that she really did on purpose.”

Wiegman said she personally delivered a similar speech to James, adding: “Of course she apologised and she felt really, really bad.”

James became the fourth England player to be sent off in a World Cup knockout match after David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and current England captain Millie Bright, who was shown a second yellow against the United States in the 2019 semi-finals.

Chelsea forward James, who made her World Cup debut against Haiti, faces at minimum a one-match ban, but that could be extended by FIFA’s disciplinary committee to three which would see her miss the rest of the tournament even if the Lionesses reach the final.

England’s spirits were high to begin Monday night’s contest in Brisbane, where midfielder Keira Walsh made a remarkable return from what many thought was a tournament-ending knee injury 10 days ago against Denmark.

Walsh played 120 minutes against Nigeria before being substituted but Wiegman said: “She was cramping a little bit, so we had to take her off, but she’s OK.”

Wiegman benefitted from a healthy side en route to England’s Euro 2022 triumph, but after dealing with multiple injury problems in the run-up to the tournament and coping without key presence Walsh and now breakout talent James, she admitted: “I have never experienced so many problems, but of course it’s my job to think of things that can happen in a game or in a tournament or ahead of the tournament.

“So you try to turn every stone, and then try to already think of a solution if things happen, and today we got totally tested on those turned stones.”

Nigeria had impressed throughout the group stage and were no different against England, twice hitting the crossbar and frustrating the Lionesses by employing a higher press for this knockout encounter.

But England held on in James’ absence to ensure their destiny would be decided by spot-kicks, with Bethany England, Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood and Kelly all scoring after Georgia Stanway fired the first wide.

“I’m really proud of the team,” added Wiegman. “We’ve had many setbacks. I think this (James red card) was a big one too.

“We had to reorganise and do something else on the pitch and we didn’t need any minute to do so.

“And of course players got really, really tired, but we really stuck together and showed a lot of resilience.”

Nigeria head coach Randy Waldrum, whose contract with his federation is soon set to expire, said: “They just played their heart out. I couldn’t be more proud of them. I take away that we can be and probably should be one of the top teams in the world.

“I certainly hope that FIFA ranking goes from 40 to a better number than that, but more importantly I think we’ve shown that we’re capable of playing with anybody.

“I think we gave some teams that are still alive in this tournament at least a blueprint of how to approach (England).”