England are proving that they are good enough to match world champions Australia when the two sides meet in March, captain Jodie Cunningham says.
Stuart Barrow’s side rounded off 2024 with their biggest-ever win, thrashing Wales 82-0 in their autumn Test at Headingley.
Anna Davies made history as the first woman to score five tries in an England international, with Barrow’s side scoring 16 in total.
It was the last chance for England’s players to impress on the field before Barrow selects a training squad in preparation for facing the Jillaroos in Las Vegas on 1 March.
England see that match as an opportunity to ascertain how much progress they have made since the last World Cup two years ago, when they lost in the semi-finals to a New Zealand side themselves well beaten in the final by Australia at Old Trafford.
Cunningham told BBC Sport: “Australia are the benchmark, but who knows until we play them? And I think that’s why it’s important. We have to test ourselves against Australia to know where we are. They are the world champions.
“You can’t take any credit away from how brilliantly they play, but I think we’ve shown today that we can match the best in the world. We just have to test ourselves against them, and we’re going to get the chance in March.”