Canada’s women’s rugby team snaps England’s four-year winning streak

England’s women’s rugby team put together an unbeaten string of 41 matches in a span of four years. On Friday, Canada ended that streak.

Shoshanah Seumanutafa made a long run along the left touch line with three minutes left to score the winning try in a 24-21 win at BMO Field for the senior women’s team’s first win against England since 2016 and the conclusion of an English unbeaten streak that dated back to their first match after losing the 2022 World Cup.

“It’s definitely special,” Canadian captain Sophie De Goede said. “There were a lot of ups and downs throughout that game and we really had to grind it out.”

Before 18,621 fans, the largest crowd to watch a women’s international rugby match in North America, the two sides who contested the 2025 Women’s World Cup final put on a spirited show. Despite the visitors having the lead for much of the match, Canada kept plugging in the second half leading to the winning score and just their fourth win over England since the women’s programs of the two nations first met in 1983.

“The impact of our subs in the second half was massive,” De Goede said. “They were bringing so much energy and put the pressure on.”

The previous time these teams met was in September, a match in England that ended as a 26-26 tie. This showed progress for a Canadian team that lost 33-13 in the World Cup final. So Friday’s win, while historic, may have just been a continuation of the progress Canada has been making.

Five minutes in, England had a try wiped out when Claudia Moloney-MacDonald failed to properly touch the ball down in the try area. 10 minutes later with England down a player after Zoe Harrison was sent off, Canada found open space on the left side and Savannah Bauder scored easily to give the home side a 5-0 lead.

England replied seven minutes from halftime when Maddie Feaunati took the ball from a scrum deep in Canada’s and plunged in from a metre out. With the Zoe Harrison conversion, England took a 7-5 lead. Canada was shorthanded after Leticia Royer was sent off.

Just two minutes later, England extended the lead to 14-5 when Harrison made a move five metres out to give her the opening to find the line.

Canada closed the gap early in the second half when Alysha Corrigan sent a short kick forward which she recovered with enough of a gap between her and England’s defenders to score easily. De Goede’s kick made the score 14-12.

The momentum was short lived as England’s forwards generated a sequence along Canada’s try line which ended in a try from Sarah Bern. But Canada continued to press with much of the possession in England’s half, leading to a try from Daleaka Menin. Canada was down 21-19 with 15 minutes left. Canada continued to put on the pressure leading to the winning score.

“We absorbed a lot. We defended very well in the first half,” England head coach John Mitchell said of his side. But we didn’t get the consistency in the second half that we thought we had.”

Justine Pelletier, who started the match on the bench, made her 50th appearance for Canada in the game.

The match ended a busy few days for the national team. Earlier in the week, Rouet signed a contract extension that will keep him at the helm under 2030, ensuring he will lead Canada into the 2029 World Cup.

And earlier Friday, Tyson Beukeboom announced her retirement. The Uxbridge native made 84 national team appearances, the most by any Canadian rugby player, man or woman.

The two sides conclude the series next Friday at TD Place in Ottawa.

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