09/19/26 01:25:00
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09/19 13:23 CDT Canada halts England's record 39-match win streak in a gripping
26-26 rugby draw
Canada halts England's record 39-match win streak in a gripping 26-26 rugby draw
EXETER, England (AP) --- England's record 39-match winning streak in women's
rugby was stopped by Canada after a thrilling 26-26 draw in WXV on Saturday.
Their first match since England won the final of the 2025 Women's Rugby World
Cup a year ago was far more compelling. The score was knotted at 5, 12, 19 at
halftime, and 26 with a quarter to go at overcast Sandy Park.
England spent most of the last quarter on attack and was held up over the
tryline. Canada brought more pressure on itself with errors but held out the
Red Roses, who failed to win a test for the first time since the final of the
2022 World Cup against New Zealand but extended their unbeaten streak to 40
matches.
Outstanding support play and pick and goes marked most of the eight tries,
split evenly, as England winger Claudia Moloney-MacDonald and Canada prop
DaLeaka Menin picked up first-half doubles.
But defense dominated after halftime. A converted try from a maul finished by
first-time starting hooker Bryony Field put England back in front and four
minutes later Canada scrumhalf Olivia Apps finished a break by lock Sophie de
Goede to tie the score again. At fulltime, neither team looked happy.
"It was amazing test match rugby, which is what we want. We want a battle,"
England captain Megan Jones told the BBC.
The teams will meet twice more in Canada, on Oct. 16 in Toronto and Oct. 23 in
Ottawa.
England will host New Zealand next weekend at Twickenham.
The Black Ferns warmed up by routing Scotland 66-14 with 10 tries in Edinburgh.
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