The Kent-born England ladies rugby captain Catherine Spencer says she’s determined to lead her country to a fourth successive Six Nations Grand Slam.

The 29-year old, who used to play for Folkestone, skippered the women’s side to a record-breaking third slam last year and is confident she can repeat the trick in this season’s competition which begins on Saturday against Italy at London Welsh’s ground.

While the men’s side start their tournament with modest expectations, their female counterparts will begin as one of the contenders to lift the trophy led by Spencer who now plays number 8 for Bristol.

And she says they will be as keen as ever to prove their superiority.

“The motivation is definitely there- as a team, as a squad and as an elite group of players in England we are always striving to better ourselves and play better rugby. As individuals and as a team we have so much potential.

“We know we can bet better, stronger and faster.”

England will host the 2010 World Cup and Catherine thinks that will give the women’s game a further boost- not least in her native Kent. She regularly comes back home to check on the progress of her former team mates.

She says, “I try to keep in contact with Folkestone Rugby Club to see how they are doing. I am very aware of my roots- I am living in Bristol now but I am very much a Kent girl.”