ALDERSHOT, England -- England captain Sarah Hunter insisted her teammates remain focused solely on regaining their World Cup crown, and continuing a successful summer for English women's sport, as she faced questions over the squad's contract status.
Reigning Women's Rugby World Cup champions England head into next month's tournament in Ireland as the only professional 15-a-side programme in the competition. However, that is set to change at the end of the tournament as the Rugby Football Union (RFU) turns its focus to Sevens; reducing the paid ranks from 48 to around 20 specialists in the shorter form.
Hunter, though, says that little has changed for players who knew the contract length when they signed it last year.
"We were completely aware of the situation and understood it from day one when the first pro contracts for the 15-a-side game were announced, and for us nothing changes," she told ESPN.
Indeed, the England skipper believes the work the contracts have allowed the squad to do over the past 12 months will prove invaluable as they prepare for what she described as the "toughest World Cup to date".
"It's been absolutely fantastic," she added.
"The investment that the RFU has put into us has been brilliant.
"I never thought in my playing career I would ever have the opportunity to be a professional player, and I think it's just taken our game to another level.
"Individually everyone's become a better player, the sessions we do we can put more into with intensity and technical detail, because we've got that rest and recovery time.
"Actually, we're not going off to work so we can have that down time to fully recharge our bodies so that when we come to train again, we can push ourselves on.
"We've seen a real benefit from that in the way that we're playing."
And as England prepare for the start of their World Cup defence in Dublin on August 9, they do not have to look far for motivation.
Hunter revealed the squad were glued to the TV over the weekend as the country's cricketers secured their own World Cup glory, while their footballing counterparts continue to impress at the European Championships in Holland.
"They are certainly an inspiration to us. The manner in which the cricketers won as well, with home pressure," Hunter said.
"When we came in on Monday it was the biggest talking point. We were certainly supporting and hopefully we can just keep that continuing success story of English women's sport.
"The footballers out in Holland, at the European Championship, getting two wins so far [too]. Absolutely, we just want to emulate that and keep women's sport high on the agenda."