Canada 31-22 England: Red Roses suffer back-to-back defeats in Ottawa in WXV Global Series on 24 October 2026
Canada defeated England 31-22 in Ottawa in a WXV Global Series match on 24 October 2026, handing the Red Roses consecutive losses for the first time in a decade. The result was England’s third defeat in their last 74 matches and followed Canada’s victory the previous Friday that ended England’s unbeaten run.
The Canadians produced a high-tempo performance on a cold, grey-tinged night in Ottawa, with captain Sophie de Goede scoring a hat-trick and contributing defensively; Julie Omokhuale was also singled out for a strong showing. The match drew an in-play announcement from Canada’s secretary of state for sport, Adam van Koeverden, who revealed new funding for Rugby Canada during the game and exclaimed, "I love it!" Some coverage of the result suggested Canada could be serious contenders for the 2029 World Cup if their improvement since the 2025 World Cup final loss to England continues.
England began the match seeking a response to the previous week’s record-ending defeat but were unable to sustain a consistent performance. Captain Meg Jones, who turned 30 on Friday, was prominent in defence, and Maddie Feaunati produced another strong outing in the hour she played, scoring for England in the seventh minute. Several handling errors and a try being held up interrupted England’s momentum.
Canada applied pressure through organised defence and quick ball movement, with Omokhuale grounding the ball after sustained phases that tested England’s lines. A loose bounce led to a knock-on by Zoe Harrison, which allowed Gabrielle Senft to seize possession and begin the move that De Goede finished. Those scores left Canada leading 12-7 at the interval.
England started the second half by opting to kick a penalty but soon returned to try-based play, using their rolling maul from the 22 for a score by Amy Cokayne. Canada responded when De Goede broke the English line and completed her hat-trick just after the hour mark. Savannah Bauder then extended the visitors' lead, while Emma Sing crossed for a consolation try for England.
Match officials and stoppages disrupted stretches of play, and a number of knock-ons hindered England’s attempts to mount a full recovery. The final scoreline reflected Canada’s ability to convert pressure into points across both halves, while England found it difficult to string sustained attacking phases together.
Canada can carry this victory into their scheduled Pacific Four tournament fixtures in 2027, while England have one remaining WXV match against the USA next Friday.