Canada edged England 24-21 in a WXV thriller, ending the Red Roses' four-year unbeaten run and settling a score from last year's World Cup.
Check your screen again, because the scoreline is real. Canada beat England 24-21 in WXV action, ending the Red Roses' remarkable run of 41 matches without defeat. It is England's first loss since the 2022 Women's Rugby World Cup final.
For underdogs everywhere, including the rugby communities across Africa and the diaspora who know what it means to chase the giants, this one was pure inspiration. Canada played with fire, resilience and clear purpose, and they never looked like a team simply happy to be competitive.
This was also a result with a backstory. Canada had already dented England's aura with a 26-26 draw in Exeter last month, but a draw wasn't what they were after. They wanted revenge for last year's World Cup loss, and they got it.
Scrum-half Olivia Apps had set the tone in the buildup, saying Canada had done everything possible in 2026 to prepare for a win over England. The team backed those words with a performance that closed the door on one of the longest unbeaten streaks the women's game has seen.
England now have to regroup after four years of near-untouchable form. Canada, meanwhile, have put the rest of the rugby world on notice.
