The Red Roses delivered a 69-7 thrashing of the United States in front of a 42,723 crowd after revelling in their 28th straight victory.
For the most part, England's the reigning World Player of the Year, Ellie Kildunne, who dazzled, as she lived up to that billing. The full-back made 153 metres and five clean breaks, scored two tries and laid on two for her team-mates in a player-of-the-match performance.
To many first-time viewers of this England team, it was a sight to behold. Loose-head Hannah Botterman raged around in the loose and stole a prime turnover off the floor, perhaps inspired by the chance to show up United States' Hope Rogers who was picked in World Rugby's Team of the Year in her position.
Sadia Kabeya buzzed with energy in the back row, while fly-half Zoe Harrison's kicking for posts was superb. With Emma Sing, the squad's most impressive off the tee, on the bench and the small change potentially crucial in the knockout rounds, it is an area where high standards must be maintained.
The driving maul is still a trump card and the neat off-the-top variation that gave hooker Amy Cokayne her try will have opponents second-guessing themselves afresh, with the scrum being dominant, especially in the early exchanges. Some of the intricacies, tip-on passes in midfield particularly, however, went astray, where better teams would probably bring more line speed and pressure to bear on those skills.
Jess Breach scored two tries, whilst Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, who missed the match with a minor injury, is set to return to put pressure on Breach soon. There were some slack kick-off receptions and Mitchell believed his team, who were only seven points up until Maud Muir crossed after 34 minutes in the wake of Alev Kelter's yellow, could have been more clinical in the first half.
"We challenged them around lifting the intensity in the second half and I thought we lifted it well," Mitchell said.
"We want to build pressure and square up a little bit more in our defence. All the threats that came at us were the ones we expected, and there's a lot we need to do as we’ve only just got started."
The crowds won't get any bigger unless England make it all the way to the final at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium on September 27. The Red Roses’ appetite for improvement, and to build to new heights, is bad news for all in the competition.
