WXV International Sequence
Canada (5) 24
Tries: Bauder, Corrigan, Menin, Seumanutafa Cons: De Goede (2)
England (14) 21
Tries: Feaunati, Harrison, Bern Cons: Harrison (3)
England's 41-match unbeaten streak led to dramatic trend as Shoshanah Seumanutafa's late strive handed Canada an exciting 24-21 victory in Toronto.
Canada, who beforehand snapped England's 39-match profitable run with a, are the primary workforce to defeat the Crimson Roses since November 2022, once they misplaced to New Zealand within the World Cup remaining.
Enjoying in entrance of 18,621 followers, a file for a standalone ladies's fixture in North America, the end result additionally marks England's first defeat by Canada since 2016 and their first towards their hosts on Canadian soil, having received their earlier 11 away matches.
Canada's Savannah Bauder took benefit of Zoe Harrison's yellow card to open the scoring within the fifteenth minute, but it surely was England who took a 14-5 half-time lead, hitting again late within the first half via Maddie Feaunati and Harrison, with Laetitia Royer within the sin-bin for the hosts.
Sarah Bern cancelled out a trendy solo strive from the hosts' Alysha Corrigan early within the second half to protect England's nine-point lead earlier than Canada's DaLeaka Menin crashed over for a transformed rating simply after the hour mark to arrange a tense finale.
Three minutes from time, Canada mounted an assault from midway after a fumble put Harrison's clearing kick underneath stress, and alternative Seumanutafa charged down the left wing to finish the comeback.
"We're not pushed by final result. We're dissatisfied by the end result however there was some excellent issues in our efficiency. So we'll stick with our processes," mentioned England head coach John Mitchell, following his first defeat since being appointed in late 2023.
"I assume [the loss] frees us up and permits us to search out extra. I do know this group has bought extra in them. Generally it requires the context that we've simply acquired to dig deeper and discover one thing extra."
The 2 sides will renew their rivalry in Ottawa on Friday, 23 October (within the early hours of Saturday on UK time) earlier than England conclude their 2026 WXV International Sequence towards the USA in New Jersey on Friday, 30 October (21:15 GMT).
'We're nonetheless world champions, we're nonetheless primary'
This end result has been coming for England, who showcased vulnerability of their three WXV International Sequence house matches in September.
Towards Australia, the world champions trailed at half-time for the primary time since 2020 earlier than roaring again with seven second-half tries for a 48-15 win. The next week, Canada held them to a attract Exeter whereas a nail-biting 26-19 win over New Zealand at Twickenham was secured with the clock within the purple.
This time, Canada's defensive resilience within the face of repeated assaults stored the world champions off the scoreboard till the thirty second minute, however England additionally lacked a medical contact of their opponents' 22, with a number of alternatives going begging. Notably, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald had an early strive chalked off for a knock-on within the grounding.
In defence, a number of penalties afforded Canada the liberty to type free-flowing assaults whereas it was a person dealing with error when delivering the ball to fly-half Harrison which gave the hosts area place to attain their match-winning strive.
The end result locations England in uncharted territory, with a number of gamers within the squad by no means having tasted defeat on the worldwide stage – winger Jess Breach was unbeaten in her earlier 59 caps.
However for captain Meg Jones, it’s no time to panic. England are "nonetheless world champions" and her message is straightforward: "Stick collectively, look out for one another, and we go once more."
She added: "We've bought to recollect, there's a goal on our again constantly. Everybody's bought that underdog mentality, that underdog battle.
"We've bought to be ready now the place we've bought to be the quickest to reply. That's the character of the sport.
"What a tremendous achievement for us as a bunch. I believe they are going to go down in historical past as among the best sporting groups.
"We're nonetheless world champions, we're nonetheless primary, and we'll nonetheless preserve pushing to be the perfect we probably can."
Canada avenge World Cup remaining defeat
In September, Canada captain De Goede confessed she nonetheless has sleepless nights about her aspect's World Cup remaining defeat by England in 2025.
Even after ending the Crimson Roses' profitable run in Exeter, she was annoyed at being denied the chance to go for the win, though reluctantly conceding that head coach Kevin Rouet's name to kick the ball lifeless was the smart one.
After a historic efficiency in Toronto, the place De Goede's aspect showcased "the DNA of our workforce" and "discovered a approach to win", sleep may as soon as once more be exhausting to return by – albeit for a lot happier causes.
"It's a bit bit extra than simply the rating on the finish as a result of we received on so many ranges," added scrum-half Justine Pelletier. "Off the sphere, the group, being house. That win on the finish on the pitch was simply the cherry on [top].
"It was good to beat England however I believe for a number of years now, we knew that we might beat them. It was only a matter of time and a matter of placing each element collectively."
Line-ups
England: Kildunne; Breach, Jones, Heard, Moloney-MacDonald; Harrison, L Packer; Botterman, Cokayne, Bern, Talling, Ives Campion, Burton, Matthews, Feaunati.
Replacements: Subject, Carson, Muir, Quick, Kabeya, Hunt, Rowland, Sing.
Sin-bin: Harrison (13)
Canada: Bauder; Corrigan, Symonds, Perry, Hogan-Rochester; Tessier, Apps; Nelson, Idowu, Menin, de Goede, Royer, Smith, Omokhuale, Gibson.
Replacements: Tuttosi, Kassil, Rempel, Forteza, Buisa, Senft, Pelletier, Seumanutafa.
Sin-bin: Royer (30)
Officers
Referee: Aurelie Groizeleau (Fra)
Assistant referees: Luke Rogan (USA) and Amelia Luciano (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)
