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international women
Red Rose captain Megan Jones swore England will respond after their first defeat in 42 Test matches.
Friday night saw a resurgence in the second half Canada end England’s four-year unbeaten run with a 24-21 win at BMO Field in Toronto in WXV Global Series action.
A raucous home crowd set the stage for the second of three Tests the two teams play this fall. The first leg in Exeter ended 26-26 and England could now only take the series before ending their campaign at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey against USA Women’s Eagles.
Pushing hard in each of their Test matches, England came unstuck as Canada’s physicality pushed the visitors to the limit and helped Kévin Rouet’s side achieve their ambition of beating their women. Rugby World Cup Final opponents in 2025.
“What we always remember is that we’re on top, and when you’re on top, people want to knock you down as quickly as possible,” Jones said. “So you will always have a target on your back.
“Our goal is to keep improving, getting better and getting better. Our team is built on performance and we always want to perform. We’re our own biggest critics when it comes to that.”
England won’t have to wait long to get back to winning ways. Next Friday night, the Red Roses will take on Canada again, this time at Ottawa’s TD Place.
A first defeat in just four years means England’s line-up for week two in Ontario will be a little different. The selection of the team and the noise coming out of the camp after the defeat will be interpreted in all ways.
Defeat also opens the door for England’s rivals. For the whole Women’s Rugby World Cup cycle, the Red Roses dominated. Now, at the beginning of the latest cycle, they have been overthrown. Others will want to do the same.
“We asked for someone to come and get us, and they did,” Mitchell said. “It’s not that we designed it to happen – far from it – but we have to respond.
“Athletes as good as these girls are definitely going to be introspective. They’re going to look at themselves, reflect on what happened and find something deeper and more meaningful to make sure they stay aligned with the big goal this team is working towards.
“We know teams are coming out to beat us. They’re going to give it their all. That’s the nature of it, so we’ve got to make sure we’re going to give it our all.”
One thing that set Friday night’s match apart was the atmosphere. The Canadians were boisterous and loud, and the cameras were shaking when the hosts crashed into the whites.
Mitchell even claimed that his coaching staff struggled to communicate because of the noise made by the 18,621 fans at BMO Field.
It was a great opportunity for women’s rugby in North America. Not just Canada. For the Red Roses, it was a completely different visceral experience for the senses.
TD Place will, without exception, offer a different experience next Friday night, but one that provides the opportunity to get back to winning ways the first time you pop the question.
“How blessed are we to have the highest highs and the lowest lows?” Jones said. “I think that’s the sport in a nutshell, and it’s a great honor for me to have those experiences.
“The biggest thing is sticking together. The game is built on moments. There’s not one individual, and it’s not one moment. It’s multiple. That’s the beauty of it. We can review it, go again next weekend and stick together.”
