TORONTO — Canada ended England's 41-match unbeaten run stretching back to 2022 with a 24-21 victory in Toronto on Friday, following a 26-26 draw between the sides at Exeter's Sandy Park in September. The result, played before a record-breaking home crowd of 18,621 and marketed as World Cup revenge, halted a near four-year streak that included a Rugby World Cup triumph and left the Red Roses beaten for the first time under head coach John Mitchell.
Sale hooker Amy Cokayne, who has 95 international caps, faced the press after the defeat and insisted England remain close to their best. "You can't dwell on it," she said. "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, England had dominated the fixture, winning all seven meetings this decade by an average margin of nearly 22 points. That superiority was clear when the hosts ran out comfortable winners against Canada in last year's World Cup final at Twickenham, yet Canada were disappointed with their own display after producing the best performance of the tournament to dismantle New Zealand in the semi-finals with rapid-fire ruck speed and intricate, accurate handling. Canada have not been as consistent as England and have suffered defeats by New Zealand and France this year, but at their best they are capable of a higher standard than any of England's rivals.
Structural factors have helped Canada close the gap. Head coach Kevin Rouet and many of his players have been gaining experience in England's PWR, the strongest league in the world, giving them a level of training and match exposure they cannot find at home where Canada lacks a professional domestic league. Canada have also introduced exciting new talent since the last World Cup, including number eight Lizzie Gibson, who made her Test debut in April and has offered a hard-carrying option at the base of the scrum. England, meanwhile, have been forced to blood new options with regular captain Zoe Stratford, second rows Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan, and back row Marlie Packer all absent and wing Abby Dow retired.
What is harder to discern is the Red Roses' psychological state after so long out on their own at the top of the women's game, where internal statistical goals often replaced jeopardy. The squad rallied to produce a backs-to-the-wall defence of their Six Nations title after summiting the mountain of a home World Cup, but this defeat may prove both symptom and cure for a lack of obvious goals to chase. The sides are due to meet for a third time this autumn as part of the WXV Global Series, with the rematch of the rematch scheduled for Friday in Ottawa.