Dannah O'Brien says that Ireland will use Sunday’s Pool C showdown against New Zealand as a "stepping stone" to their World Cup quarter-final.
Wins over Japan and Spain have guaranteed Scott Bemand's side qualification to the knockout stages with a game to spare.
The winner of that pool decider in Brighton is likely to play South Africa, with the loser on course for a date with France, depending on the result between the teams in the final Pool D game on Sunday.
Ireland scored seven tries in their 43-27 win over Spain yesterday, while they looked particularly susceptible in defence, conceding five tries.
"I think for us as a squad we have to use this game as another stepping stone," said the 21-year-old Carlow woman when asked about the approach to the tie with passage already safely secured.
"It's good to have the opportunity just to focus on our own game as well.
"We'll be looking for a good result and a massive performance next week. So it's really important that we focus on it."
Allan Bunting's side hit Japan for 10 tries in yesterday's 62-19 win in Sandy Park, Exeter, the venue for whichever quarter-final Ireland find themselves in.
The Black Ferns will have had this third-round game circled in their diary since losing to Ireland in last year's WXV1 clash in Canada.
"It's a great story, I suppose, the battle," said the Leinster back, who won her 28th cap against Las Leonas.
"We beat them the last day. Everyone knows they’re going to be a different outfit this time around.
"But yeah, it’s a massive challenge for us and I think we'll be up for it.
"We're just going to focus on ourselves, like just cutting out small errors in our own half of the pitch, and not giving teams opportunities to pin us in.
"It's definitely going to be all about us, all about putting out another good performance. We're massively excited to go out next week."
After spending almost three weeks in the English midlands, it’s time for the Irish squad to up sticks and head for the south coast where a sold-out stadium awaits in six days’ time.
"It’s been great, it’s been really fun," said O'Brien of her World Cup experience so far.
"I think the squad's having a really good time together, we're enjoying each other's company.
"We're just buzzing to see how far we can go, and focus on the next game. But we're buzzing to get down to Brighton as well, we’ve heard good things about it.
"This week we kind of focused on not getting too settled as a squad in our environment, we know we're going to get on the road now again.
"So yeah, we're just excited to move on to a different venue. It's going to be a massive crowd there, I think."
O’Brien (above) kicked six from six against Japan, but she was off form off the tee against Spain, missing three conversions and a penalty, although she did convert three and score her first international try, Ireland’s opening score.
"Yeah, incredible, it only took 28 caps but we got there in the end," she said.
"[It was a] team try.
"I think we had a decent start, got on the board and then let Spain get on top of us again.
"But we're happy with the result. Not everything went as planned, but it's a win at the end of the day.
"I suppose when you miss [kicks] it’s just about the next job and trying to fix your mistakes.
"You can't really think about [them] too much. Thankfully, I came back and scored a few towards the end of the game."
While it’s job done for Ireland, they know a significant improvement is required if they are to beat the back-to-back champions for a third time.
Asked where they need to up their game, O’Brien said: "Just not to let errors compound, playing up in the right area of the pitch, kind of next-job mentality, trying to just get the girls back in the game.
"I think we came back really well, every time they scored, we kind of scored again, and came back with a double score.
"I think we stuck in it really well. Showed just a bit of resilience as well just to finish it out.
"[There was frustration around] a few handling errors and maybe discipline with the ref and stuff.
"It's definitely in our hands still. All the mistakes are very fixable. We'll just look to improve next week."
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