Canada end England’s 41-game unbeaten run with 24-21 win in Toronto
Canada ended England's 41-match unbeaten streak with a 24-21 victory over the Red Roses in Toronto on Friday, handing England their first defeat since 2022.
The unbeaten run had stretched across nearly four years and included a home Rugby World Cup triumph for England, but the loss prompted veteran hooker Amy Cokayne to front the media; the Sale player, who has 95 international caps, said: "You can't dwell on it. We weren't a million miles away, so it's not like we have to completely throw the book out - nothing needs to massively change to the way we play." Before this autumn, the sides had met seven times this decade, England winning each encounter by an average margin of nearly 22 points.
England and Canada also drew 26-26 at Exeter's Sandy Park in September, and last year's World Cup final in Twickenham saw England prevail; Canada were, however, disappointed with their performance in that defeat. Canada's semi-final victory over New Zealand at the World Cup featured what the report described as "rapid-fire ruck speed and intricate, accurate handling" and was judged the best display of any team in the tournament.
Canada have been inconsistent compared with England, suffering defeats to New Zealand and France this year, yet the article states that when operating at their peak they are capable of outplaying any of the Red Roses' rivals. The Toronto fixture was promoted as a chance for World Cup revenge and was played in front of a record home crowd of 18,621.
Structural factors are credited with narrowing the gap: head coach Kevin Rouet and a number of his players have gained experience in England's PWR, while Canada lacks a professional women's domestic league and England's league is described in the piece as the strongest in the world, providing training and match exposure not available at home. The report notes Canada have introduced new talents since the last Rugby World Cup, including number eight Lizzie Gibson, who made her Test debut in April and has been used as a hard-carrying option at the base of the scrum.
England have been compelled to blood new players this season due to absences; the piece lists regular captain Zoe Stratford, second rows Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan, and back row Marlie Packer as absent, and notes wing Abby Dow has retired. The report also highlights that England's prolonged dominance led the squad to set internal statistical goals for matches because victory had become the expected outcome, and that they delivered what the article calls a "backs-to-the-wall defence" of their Six Nations title immediately after the World Cup.
The head coaches, Kevin Rouet and England's John Mitchell, are scheduled to meet three times as part of this autumn's WXV Global Series, with a rematch set for Friday 24 October in Ottawa; that fixture will be shown live on the BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport app.