Published Oct 16, 2026 7:30 pm : Updated Oct 16, 2026 9:39 pm
Canada players celebrate after their win over England in a women's rugby match in Toronto, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO (AP) — A month after Canada halted England’s 39-match winning streak in women’s rugby, it also ended its 40-match unbeaten streak Friday.
The Canadians came back from a 14-5 halftime deficit and took the lead when center Shoshanah Seumanutafa scored a try with three minutes remaining to give the home side a 24-21 win.
The match was played before 18,621 spectators at BMO Field in Toronto, which organizers said was a North American record for a stand-alone women’s match.
At Exeter, England on Sept. 19, Canada ended England’s record 39-match winning streak with a 26-26 draw, part of the WXV Global Series. It was their first match against each other since England won the final of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup a year ago.
England hadn’t lost since dropping a 34-31 decision to New Zealand in the 2022 World Cup final nearly four years ago. After its draw with Canada, England beat New Zealand in another WXV match.
Fullback Savannah Bauder scored an opening try for Canada in the 17th minute Friday after a series of passes. But captain Sophie de Goede missed the conversion attempt, and until Canada’s late try, that proved to be the difference in the match.
England took the lead in the 32nd minute with a converted try by Maddie Feaunati, and flyhalf Zoe Harrison scored a second try five minutes later to leave England with its 14-5 lead at halftime.
“There were lots of ups and downs throughout that game and we really had to grind it out and find a way,” said De Goede. “That’s kind of the DNA of our team and our group.
“So I think, more than anything, I feel proud of the way that we found a way to win that game. It wasn’t easy.”
Canada and England will play again next Friday in Ottawa.
“Sometimes the flipped coin doesn’t go on the side you want it to go,” said England captain Meg Jones. “It’s just the nature of the beast, and we go again.”
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This post was last modified on 10/16/2026 9:39 pm