England head coach Simon Middleton expects a much tougher challenge from hosts and holders New Zealand at next year’s World Cup after successive record wins against the Black Ferns.

New Zealand had a coronavirus-enforced break from Test rugby for two years so Middleton will not be complacent.

He said England “will have to be better” to win the World Cup.

Middleton’s measured response to such dominant wins is perhaps justified given fewer than two months before the 2017 World Cup England beat New Zealand before going on to lose to the Black Ferns in the final.

When asked if the next edition of the tournament in 2022 was England’s to lose, he responded: “Not at all.

“You take the glimpses of their best play today, that’s what they’ll be next year.

“They are an exceptional side and they have got some good players to come back in. To travel halfway around the world having not played for a couple of years – there is perspective.

“We will have to be better than we have been in these last two weeks to win the World Cup but we’re confident that we can be better.”

Former England men’s captain Dylan Hartley agreed that the World Cup is far from decided.

France are another worthy opponent for the title and next Sunday world number one side England will find out how they compare to Canada – who are ranked third.

As for New Zealand, Hartley said on BBC Two that “a year is a long time in rugby”, adding: “They will be a different proposition with more Test rugby in their legs and on home territory when the Rugby World Cup comes around.”

Players could come ‘from nowhere’ to reach World Cup

Middleton said his World Cup squad was not yet decided either, although he did praise two of those who shone brightest for England in Northampton.

After saying fly-half Zoe Harrison was “sensational” last Sunday, the head coach described her as “flawless” in the second victory.

Abby Dow’s incredible run down the left wing, in which she stormed past Olympic sevens champion Portia Woodman to score, earned her the title of “the best finisher in world rugby”.

But elsewhere Middleton said he has about six places in his squad for which there is “real competition”, pointing out that prop Maud Muir has made a big impression in her two caps for England and other young players could follow suit.

“She [Muir] put herself right in the frame for getting on the plane to New Zealand from pretty much nowhere,” he explained.

“I think there are two or three others who could do that.”

Crowd support ‘phenomenal’

The crowd topped 9,000 for the second week in a row, with 9,366 there to watch England’s victory at Franklin’s Gardens.

They face Canada at Twickenham Stoop before hosting the United States at Worcester’s Sixways and all four autumn internationals are on BBC Two.

Number eight Poppy Cleall, who captained England for the first time on Sunday, described the support as “phenomenal” and shared her hopes that the country’s bid to host the World Cup in 2025 would be a success.

“I can’t believe we have gone back-to-back with nearly two 10,000 crowds,” she said.

“Then we’ve got The Stoop next week and Worcester – I hope we can go four in a row.”

England prop Shaunagh Brown – left out of the squad for the New Zealand games – echoed Cleall’s sentiments on Twitter, saying that the Red Roses’ impressive performances were a result of improved investment from the Rugby Football Union in recent years.

She wrote: “We are worthy and we will keep showing you why.”