England centre Emily Scarratt says the hunt for a record-breaking win brings extra pressure after claiming a Grand Slam with their 23rd victory in a row.
The Red Roses won a fourth successive Women’s Six Nations title in France.
England’s next fixture is expected to be in September and success in that will give them the longest winning streak in history for a top-tier side.
“There is a pressure to that,” Scarratt told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rugby Union Weekly.
England’s 23rd win equalled the run set by the 1992-97 Red Roses side and their last defeat came against New Zealand in July 2019.
Scarratt, 32, added: “We are pretty good at taking it in our stride. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves for our own performance and it’s almost irrelevant then what the score turns out to be.”
England have also won 10 games in a row against France, but Scarratt expects some backlash when the two sides meet in the World Cup pool stages on 15 October.
They could then meet again in the knockout stages and Scarratt believes “if they ever need to get up for a game, it’s against England and it’s at a World Cup”.
“I don’t think any of us are under any illusions of when that game comes around how tough it’s going to be,” she added.
“I don’t think any of us wanted to lose that game [the Grand Slam decider] or give them that little chink of hope that they had beaten us so close to such a big competition.”
‘Proud of growing support’
While on-field records will have to wait for later in the year, England broke new ground with attendances in this Six Nations.
With the tournament played in its new window separate from the men’s event, the Red Roses attracted back-to-back record crowds at their home games.
A total of 15,836 watched Scarratt earn her 100th cap in her hometown of Leicester and left her “so proud” of England’s role in the growth of the women’s game.
“We’re so grateful for the support,” she said.
“There are two ways we repay that. One is we put the good product out on the field and the second way is trying to get among as many people as we can after the games.
“It’s hard to get around everybody as those numbers grow – it used to be a lot easier!”
