OTTAWA — Canada have inflicted back-to-back defeats on England for the first time in a decade with a 31-22 victory in Ottawa to seal a 2-0 WXV Series win, backing up last weekend's 24-21 triumph in Toronto which ended the Red Roses' 41-match unbeaten streak. The result completes a statement series for the hosts after the sides had shared a 26-26 draw in Exeter in September.
The hosts ran in five tries to England's three, with captain Sophie de Goede scoring a hat-trick alongside tries from Julia Omokhuale and Savannah Bauder, De Goede adding three conversions. England replied through Maddie Feaunati, Amy Cokayne and Emma Sing, with conversions from Zoe Harrison and Sing and a Harrison penalty. Feaunati crashed over from close range inside 10 minutes to give England a promising start, but Omokhuale and De Goede hit back to lead 12-7 at the break. Harrison's penalty and Cokayne's driving maul score briefly overturned the deficit early in the second half, before De Goede restored Canada's lead three minutes later, completed her hat-trick just after the hour and Bauder danced down the left wing to put Canada out of sight, Sing bagging a consolation in the 80th minute.
Head coach John Mitchell said England need a "new stimulus" after suffering consecutive losses. "Perhaps we have become a little bit predictable," Mitchell said. "Definitely I'll have to create with the girls the new stimulus in the new year." He added: "Test matches of this quality, the best teams in the world, it always comes down to execution. We presented ourselves many an opportunity and we just didn't quite execute." Mitchell arrived in Canada unbeaten as England head coach.
Mitchell also called for "improved standards" around officiating after connection issues to the television match official influenced a turning point with the match poised at 19-17 to Canada heading into the final 20 minutes. England winger Jess Breach intercepted a pass from Justine Pelletier and had a clear run to the line that would have moved her into joint-second on England women's all-time try list, but she was pulled back mid-stride for offside. Moments later De Goede scored Canada's fourth to make it a seven-point lead. "The game potentially needs an improved standard with TMO," Mitchell said. "There was no TMO connection tonight and I think Jess' intercept was probably a turning point that could have influenced the match."
De Goede, who received the women's player of the year award after last September's World Cup final defeat by England and became only the second Canadian to win the accolade in 15s, underlined her status with a versatile display and eight successful conversions from 13 attempts across the series, including from her signature red tee. She later got her hands on the Utrecht Shield as Canada celebrated a first home win over England since 2016 — having never previously beaten them on home soil — now achieved twice in succession. World champions England, who have lost multiple matches in a calendar year for the first time since 2016, now head to New Jersey to face the USA next Friday at 21:15 GMT hoping to avoid three straight defeats for the first time since 2013.