England’s women have lost a rugby international for the first time in nearly four years, beaten 24–21 by Canada in Toronto in a result that ends one of the most remarkable winning runs in the sport. The Red Roses had won 41 consecutive matches, a streak stretching back to 2022, before Canada scored the decisive try three minutes from time.
BBC Sport reported that England led 14–5 at half-time and appeared to be in control, but Canada fought back in the second half, feeding off a fervent home crowd in Toronto. It was England’s first defeat by Canada since 2016, and their first loss on Canadian soil.
The result will be felt across women’s rugby. England’s dominance of the international game has been so complete that their matches had come to be measured not by whether they won but by how much they won by. A defeat of this kind — away from home, against a side that has been closing the gap — changes the conversation about the hierarchy of the world game.
How the match turned
England’s first-half performance followed a familiar pattern. They built a 14–5 lead through their forwards’ control and clinical finishing, and at the interval there was little to suggest the run was in danger. Canada, though, stayed in the contest, defended with increasing belief and began to win the territorial battle after the break.
The second half belonged increasingly to the hosts. Canada’s carriers made inroads, their support play kept the ball alive, and the Toronto crowd sensed something historic. England, unaccustomed to being chased, began to make the kind of errors that pressure produces — handling mistakes, rushed kicks, penalties in dangerous positions.
The decisive moment came three minutes from time, when Canada scored the try that put them 24–21 ahead. England had time for one last response but could not manufacture the score they needed, and the final whistle brought Canadian celebrations and English disbelief in equal measure.
The end of a remarkable run
Forty-one consecutive victories is a record that may stand for a very long time. It spanned World Cup cycles, changes of coach and the retirements of senior players, and it was built on the deepest playing pool and the most fully professionalised setup in the women’s game. That England’s last defeat came in the 2022 World Cup final against New Zealand underlines how rarely they have been beaten in this era.
Canada’s victory is not an accident. They have been the side most consistently capable of troubling England in recent seasons, and their programme — despite far fewer resources than the RFU’s — has produced a team of genuine power and skill. Winning at home, in front of a crowd that willed them on, they have now converted promise into a landmark result.
For the women’s game globally, a competitive balance at the top is healthy. England’s dominance has driven standards up, but predictable outcomes do little to grow audiences. A result that proves the Red Roses can be beaten makes every future fixture more compelling.
What it means for England
Defeat will prompt honest reflection rather than panic. England remain, on paper, the strongest squad in the world, and a single loss does not dismantle four years of excellence. But the coaching team will study how the side responded — or failed to respond — when the momentum turned, because the questions Canada asked in Toronto will be asked again.
The timing matters too. With the next World Cup cycle under way, England’s rivals now have proof that the gap can be closed. The Red Roses’ response to their first defeat in four years will define the next chapter of this team — and Canada, having finally beaten them, will believe they can do it again.
