Canada beat England 24-21 with late try to end Red Roses’ unbeaten run

Canada beat England 24-21 at BMO Field in Toronto on Friday, October 16, ending the Red Roses’ unbeaten run with a late try by Shoshanah Seumanutafa. It was England’s first defeat since the 2022 Women’s Rugby World Cup final.

England led 14-5 at halftime, but Canada recovered to take the lead through Seumanutafa in the closing minutes, the Associated Press reported. The Guardian placed her try with two minutes remaining; AP said three minutes remained.

How Canada overturned England’s halftime lead

The Guardian reported that an early England score was ruled out because Claudia Moloney-MacDonald had not grounded the ball cleanly. Harrison later received a yellow card after a sequence of England penalties, and Canada used the player advantage to create the overlap for Bauder’s try. England also pressed close to Canada’s line without scoring during one spell of sustained attack.

The match drew 18,621 spectators. Organizers described it as a North American record for a stand-alone women’s rugby match, according to AP. The Guardian named DaLeaka Menin as player of the match and highlighted the contributions of scrum-half Olivia Apps and de Goede to Canada’s performance.

From the Exeter draw to England’s first defeat

Canada had already ended England’s winning streak with a 26-26 draw in Exeter on September 19. That result left England unbeaten, but Friday’s win ended that remaining run. The two teams had also met in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup final, which England won. The Guardian counted England’s unbeaten run at 41 games; AP counted 40 matches.

England beat New Zealand after the Exeter draw and before this defeat, AP reported. In NewsJaws’ earlier coverage, a last-gasp Harrison try secured that win. Canada and England are scheduled to meet again next Friday in Ottawa, according to AP.