Sportsupdated 1h ago2 min read
Canada Ends England’s 41-Match Unbeaten Run With 24-21 Win In Toronto
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Canada defeated England 24-21 in Toronto, ending England's 41-game unbeaten run. Shoshanah Seumanutafa scored the decisive 77th-minute try for Canada.
8 outlets told this the same way.
Canada ends England run
Canada ended England's 41-match unbeaten run with a 24-21 victory in Toronto, as Shoshanah Seumanutafa scored the match-winning try in the 77th minute.
England had led 14-5 at half-time after Maddie Feaunati and Zoe Harrison scored just before the break, but Canada pulled level through DaLeaka Menin's 63rd-minute try.
John Mitchell said, "We're disappointed by the result but there was some very good things in our performance tonight. So we'll stick to our processes," after the Red Roses suffered their first defeat since the 2022 World Cup final.
Meg Jones told reporters, "We're still world champions, we're still number one, and we'll still keep pushing to be the best we possibly can," as England absorbed their first loss to Canada since 2016.
The match drew 18,621 fans at BMO Field, a record for a standalone women's fixture in North America, with Canada taking the lead after a late rally and holding on to win.
Yellow cards and late try
Savannah Bauder opened the scoring in the 15th minute after Zoe Harrison's yellow card, and England responded to take a 14-5 half-time lead. Claudia Moloney-MacDonald had an early try ruled out for a knock-on, and Laetitia Royer went to the sin-bin for the hosts as Canada defended repeatedly near the line. Mitchell said the loss "frees us up and allows us all to find more," framing the defeat as a chance to dig deeper and find something more.
Justine Pelletier said, "Off the field, just the crowd, being home, and there's so much going on around," describing what made the win matter beyond the final score. The Guardian described the moment when Seumanutafa put Canada ahead with two minutes left, and Canada then managed to see out the game as England's four-year unbeaten streak ended.
Rematch tour and next tests
Canada and England will renew their rivalry in Ottawa on Friday, 23 October, before England conclude their 2026 WXV Global Series against the USA in New Jersey on Friday, 30 October. The Toronto Star described the match as part of the Rugby Rematch Tour, with Canada playing England in Toronto before playing at Ottawa's TD Place next week. Rugby Canada announced that head coach Kévin Rouet's contract was extended through 2030, and CBC said the pair of matches against England come after Canada's World Cup silver-medal finish.
“Women’s sport in Canada has grown exponentially in the last few years.”
The CBC report also said Lizzie "Gibby" Gibson will be playing her first match with the team on Canadian soil, and Gibson said the loss against England left hunger for Canada to prove it's capable of being the world's top-ranked team. Sky Sports said the teams will face each other again next Saturday in Ottawa, as Canada looked to confirm the feat and England prepared to bounce back from a loss.