England hadn't lost a women's test since the 2022 Rugby World Cup final. That ended Friday night in Toronto. Canada beat the world champion Red Roses 24-21 at BMO Field on October 16, with replacement Shoshanah Seumanutafa scoring the winning try in the 78th minute in front of a record home crowd of 18,621, according to Rugby Canada.
Rugby Canada called it the program's first win over England on home soil. Sky Sports and Rugby Canada both put England's unbeaten streak at 41 matches before the loss, a run that survived a 26-26 draw with Canada in Exeter last month.
How Canada Came Back From 14-5 Down at BMO Field
Canada struck first. Fullback Savannah Bauder, in only her third appearance, scored in the 16th minute. England answered with two tries before the break, from Maddie Feaunati and Zoe Harrison, and took a 14-5 lead into halftime, helped by a spell with Canada lock Laetitia Royer in the sin bin.
Wing Alysha Corrigan scored early in the second half and captain Sophie de Goede converted, but England pushed the margin back to nine when prop Sarah Bern crossed. Then the veterans went to work. DaLeaka Menin, the prop with 75 caps, scored in the 64th minute and de Goede converted to make it 21-19.
The finish belonged to Seumanutafa. The White Rock, B.C., back came off the bench and touched down with about two minutes left, according to the Sky Sports match report. England had no reply.
What the Loss Means for England and John Mitchell
England head coach John Mitchell's side had opened its WXV Global Series run by beating Australia 48-15 and New Zealand 26-19 around the Exeter draw. Friday was England's first defeat since the 2022 final, per Sky Sports, which makes it the first loss of Mitchell's time in charge. It's also Canada's first win over England anywhere since the 2016 Women's Rugby Super Series.
For Canada, it's a statement from a team that finished second at the last World Cup. Head coach Kevin Rouet's group has now gone draw, win against the top-ranked side in the world in about a month. De Goede summed up the night for Rugby Canada: "We're so fortunate to have matches like this at home and to have this support."
The WXV Global Series and the Road to 2029
The WXV Global Series was built by World Rugby and 18 national unions to give women's teams a reliable test calendar and a pathway to the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup. This Canada and England pairing is billed as the Rugby Rematch Tour, two home tests for Canada after the Exeter draw.
The record crowd matters too. Canada's women had never hosted England at BMO Field, the home of Toronto FC and the Argonauts, and more than 18,000 people showed up on a Friday night in October.
Canada vs England Rematch in Ottawa on Oct. 23
The two teams meet again on Friday, October 23, at TD Place in Ottawa, with kickoff at 7 p.m. ET on TSN. England then heads to New Jersey to face the USA on October 30. Follow more international rugby on the BallerTube rugby page.
