Bennett unveiled her 26-strong squad that will compete in a tournament that includes USA, Canada and South Africa.

At senior level, England swept all before them in their recent RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam and there are signs that he next generation are every bit as competitive with Bennett’s side completing victories over Wales (32-19), Scotland (77-0) and France (12-5).

And Bennett demanded those sorts of standards be maintained when they head to California in July.

She said: “We want to be up front and say that we want to go to the Nations Cup and win it but we have no doubt how hard that is going to be.

“We are not taking any of these games lightly, it will be fierce.  We know that we will be facing extremely fit and physical opposition.  There are no performance guarantees when it comes to this tournament.

“The USA and Canada have a history of producing incredible athletes and South Africa has dedicated time and resources in recent years to developing the women’s game

“At some point the squad needs to know what it is like to train and play in a campaign like the Nations Cup because further down the line some of them might be going to a World Cup.”

The Squad:

Poppy Cleall (Bristol, Hampshire, South West)

Fiona Davidson (Richmond, Surrey, London & South East)

Lucy Demaine (Bristol, Devon, South West)

Mica Evans (Exeter Saracens, Devon, South West)

Fiona Fletcher (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands)

Hannah Gallagher (Saracens, Hertfordshire, London & South East)

Ellen Gattlin (Rochford Hundred, Essex, London & South East)

Sarah George (Bristol, Devon, South West)

Rebecca Hughes (Bristol, Somerset, South West)

Rose Jay (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands)

Natasha Jones (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands)

Charlotte Keane (Worcester, South West)

Emily Kingston (Gloucester, Gloucestershire, South West)

Ceri Large (Worcester, Gloucestershire, South West)

Katie Mason (Bristol, Somerset, South West)

Alexandra Matthews (London Irish, Surrey, London & SE)

Harriet  Mills (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands)

Charlie Notman  (Newquay Hornets (Queen Bees), Cornwall, South West)

Megan  Oaten (Thornbury, Dorset & Wilts, South West)

Amber Reed (Bristol, Somerset/Devon, South West)

Rachel Roberts  (Gloucester, Gloucester, North)

Abbie Scott (Keswick, Cumbria,North)

Emily Scott (Thurrock, Essex, London & South East)

Geri Thomas (OA Saints, Hertfordshire, London & SE)

Daniker Willmore (Bristol, South West)

Amy Wilson-Hardy (Bristol, Sussex, South West)