They looked good in their opening game of the tournament to dispatch Spain 54-8 in York last week.
But there are always areas to improve and grow and they get a chance to go up another level when they meet Japan in Exeter on Monday morning.
Japan, known as the Cherry Blossoms, lost their opening game 42-14 to Ireland, and while the Black Ferns head in as favourites, Japan will throw everything at the world champions.
"We are feeling pretty confident but we aren’t taking Japan lightly," defence coach Steve Jackson said earlier this week.
"We will be going out there to put our best foot forward and put a performance on that we can be proud of, but Japan will be a difficult side to play.
"There are things in our game that we need to tidy up which we will work.
"If we do that really well we should hopefully get the desired outcome. We are under no illusions — Japan will be tough."
The Black Ferns were always going to have a target on their back heading into the World Cup as defending champions.
But Jackson said that had not put extra pressure on them, saying Ireland, Canada and England were also up there.
"We also want to write our own history and again we are just taking it game by game, not thinking about anything further than Japan this week.
"If we can get the consistency in our game then, hopefully, we will be there or thereabouts again. The past is the past; we celebrated those World Cup wins and moved on. We have a job to do over the next few weeks to get the outcome we want.
"Every team is here to win the World Cup, and we are no different. The expectation from the public back home is that we’d come here and win the World Cup."
Loose forward Kaipo Olsen-Baker, wing Ayesha Leti-I’iga (ankle) — who scored two tries against Spain — and midfielder Amy du Plessis (shoulder) left the field with injuries on Monday.
Olsen-Baker has been cleared of an ankle fracture but the extent of other injuries remains unclear.
■England captain Zoe Aldcroft will miss the rest of the Women’s Rugby World Cup pool stage after suffering a knee injury during last week’s win over United States, British media reported yesterday.
Former skipper Marlie Packer will lead England tomorrow, with coach John Mitchell making 13 changes for the match against Samoa, who lost 73-0 loss to Australia in their opening game. — additional reporting RNZ/Reuters
