WXV Global Series

Canada (5) 24

Tries: Bauder, Corrigan, Menin, Seumanutafa Cons: De Goede (2)

England (14) 21

Tries: Feaunati, Harrison, Bern Cons: Harrison (3)

England head coach John Mitchell urged his Red Roses to discover extra qualities after their 41-match unbeaten run, spanning nearly four years, ended dramatically when Shoshanah Seumanutafa's late try secured Canada a 24-21 victory in Toronto.

Canada, who had previously halted England's 39-match winning sequence with a 26-26 draw in Exeter during September, became the first side to beat them since November 2022, when New Zealand prevailed in the World Cup final.

Before a crowd of 18,621, a record for a standalone women's match in North America, the outcome also represents England's initial loss to Canada since 2016 and their first defeat on Canadian soil against the hosts after 11 prior away successes.

Canada's Savannah Bauder exploited Zoe Harrison's yellow card to score first in the 15th minute, yet England led 14-5 at half-time by responding late in the opening period through Maddie Feaunati and Harrison while Laetitia Royer served time in the sin-bin for the hosts.

Sarah Bern responded to a fine solo effort from the hosts' Alysha Corrigan early in the second half to maintain England's nine-point advantage before Canada's DaLeaka Menin powered over for a converted score shortly after the hour to create a tense finish.

With three minutes remaining, Canada launched an attack from halfway following a handling error that pressured Harrison's clearance, allowing replacement Seumanutafa to sprint down the left wing and seal the comeback.

"We feel let down by the scoreline yet several aspects of our display were strong. We will adhere to our methods," said Mitchell after suffering his first loss since taking charge in late 2023.

"I suppose the defeat liberates us and helps us locate more. I recognise this group possesses greater potential. At times the situation we have encountered prompts us to delve deeper and uncover additional strengths."

The teams will face off again in Ottawa on Friday, 23 October (early Saturday UK time) before England finish their 2026 WXV Global Series against the USA in New Jersey on Friday, 30 October (21:15 GMT).

This outcome had been building for England, who displayed frailties across their three WXV Global Series home fixtures in September.

Versus Australia the world champions trailed at the interval for the first occasion since 2020 before surging ahead with seven second-half tries in a 48-15 triumph. The next week Canada forced a draw in Exeter, and a tense 26-19 success over New Zealand at Twickenham arrived with time already expired.

On this occasion Canada's defensive resolve against sustained pressure kept the world champions scoreless until the 32nd minute, though England also missed clinical finishing inside the opposition 22 with several chances wasted. Notably Claudia Moloney-MacDonald saw an early try disallowed for a knock-on during grounding.

Defensively repeated penalties allowed Canada space for fluid attacks, while an individual handling mistake when passing to fly-half Harrison granted the hosts the territory needed for their decisive score.

The result leaves England in unfamiliar territory, with several squad members yet to experience international defeat - winger Jess Breach had remained unbeaten across her prior 59 caps.

Captain Meg Jones nevertheless sees no cause for alarm. England remain world champions and her message is straightforward: stay united, support one another, and move forward.

She noted: "We must recall there is always a target on our backs. Every opponent adopts an underdog mindset and fights accordingly.

"We need to position ourselves to react fastest. That defines the sport.

"What a remarkable feat for our group. They will be remembered as one of the finest sporting sides.

"We are still world champions, still ranked number one, and we will continue striving to reach our highest level."

In September Canada captain Sophie de Goede admitted she continues to lose sleep over her team's World Cup final loss to England in 2025.

Even after ending the Red Roses' winning sequence in Exeter she felt frustrated at missing the chance to chase victory, though she accepted head coach Kevin Rouet's decision to kick the ball dead as the prudent choice.

Following a landmark display in Toronto where De Goede's side exhibited the character of the team and discovered a route to success, restful nights may again prove elusive, this time for far more positive reasons.

While numerous Canadian players compete in England's Premiership Women's Rugby, the national side, ranked third globally, lacks equivalent resources or talent depth compared with the Red Roses and even ran a crowdfunding drive ahead of the previous World Cup to fund training camps.

After their run to the final the Canadian government introduced a new 775m Canadian dollars (approximately 401m pounds) investment in sport across the country.

Setting an attendance record and defeating England in their first home match since August 2025 highlights the rising support for women's rugby in Canada.

"It extends beyond the final score because we succeeded across multiple areas," added scrum-half Justine Pelletier. "Away from the pitch the spectators and playing at home mattered greatly. The victory on the field served as the finishing touch.

"Defeating England felt good yet for several years we believed it possible. It simply required the right timing and attention to every detail."

England: Kildunne; Breach, Jones, Heard, Moloney-MacDonald; Harrison, L Packer; Botterman, Cokayne, Bern, Talling, Ives Campion, Burton, Matthews, Feaunati.

Replacements: Field, Carson, Muir, Short, 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)