“We’re very hungry and we want to keep hunting,” said Red Roses captain Meg Jones ahead of her side’s third and final match WXV Global Series conflict against Canada this friday.
England’s remarkable 41-match unbeaten run came to an end as Kévin Rouet’s Canada claimed a 24-21 victory at BMO Field in Toronto.
But instead of dwelling on the result, England Captain Jones believes that a small loss provides an opportunity to learn, adapt and react against other women Rugby World Cup Finalists 2025, Canada.
“There are some people who haven’t lost in an England shirt so it was good to recognize that. We have a leadership group and we’ve had some good and honest conversations.”
“The message this week was really about going, ‘Whatever you feel, feel, but when we get to the park, let’s park it’. We had a good week of practice and I was really proud of how the girls responded.”
The center continued, “We want to play the best teams. You want to see where your game needs to adjust, where there might be cracks and also put things into practice against the best teams.”
“To have the opportunity to play back-to-back against them in Canada is incredible.”
Last week’s meeting also provided a significant opportunity for women’s rugby in North America, with 18,621 spectators attending the game in Toronto, setting a record attendance for a stand-alone women’s rugby match on the continent.
“The crowd at the first game was fantastic and I think Canada did a fantastic job of getting all those red shirts out and making sure they had the crowd behind them.
“That was huge for them and huge for the game. You have to remember we’re here to grow the game no matter what the outcome is and now we have an opportunity to not be defined by the outcome.”
As the Red Roses try to level the series against Canada, following a 26-26 draw at Sandy Park in September and last week’s 24-21 loss in Toronto, head coach John Mitchell made four changes to his starting lineup, including benching guard Ellie Kildunne.
Speaking about his selection decisions, Mitchell explained: “We bounced back really well after a very physical match. The turnout was outstanding and the girls really stepped up this week.”
“We have to maximize our depth, we will deal with the present and I have some future in mind.
“We’re looking for consistency. We have to be consistent in our actions and that’s one of the things we’ve really focused on this week is what’s under our control.”
“There’s no denying that she (Ellie Kildunne) adds enormous value. She’s going through a tough time at the moment and it’s important for us to help her through that.
“And she wants to become more consistent and will be back.
“It’s also important to create competition and recognize that you have to become more consistent, especially when competing in the Red Roses.
“It’s really important to reinforce the behaviors that we think are essential to our game and that goes for everyone.”
For Mitchell, the defeat also reflects the progress England’s rivals have made as the international game continues to evolve.
“The game is going fast and the opponents are improving. It’s fantastic for us,” he said.
“We didn’t plan for it to happen last week, but it’s always going to happen at some point and now it’s how we use it correctly and react to it.
“We’re still three years out (until the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2029) and we’ve got two sides in the world who are probably playing outstanding rugby at the moment and we’re a bit behind. Just a bit!
“It’s kind of a good place to be and it’s something that will ultimately drive us. I’ll leave this tournament with a lot more information so we can take the next step.”
The opportunity to tie the WXV Global Series against Canada is therefore more than a chance to regain winning momentum, it is an opportunity to see the Red Roses bounce back when faced with defeat.
“We have a chance to level the series against Canada and that will be a good result for us because it will show our character in terms of how we react.
“We also have the Lions Series around the corner Six Nations it will be extremely competitive. We have mums coming back and we have developed seven girls on this trip who were our second combination at the World Cup, who are now starting for us and playing extremely well.
“We’re in a good place. It’s going to take each individual to identify where they can find more, but it’s all part of being an athlete and wanting to be part of the best team in the world.”
Jones echoed her head coach’s assessment, adding, “The bottom line is we lost by three points. I tell the girls all the time to put it in perspective.”
“It was a competitive match. It’s a test match. Three points is sometimes a narrow margin of a moment or a build-up of moments. We didn’t come out when we wanted well enough and those are the things that cost you games sometimes,” she explained.
“When you play the best teams, you probably have a couple of opportunities where you have to score and if you don’t take them, the other team will.”
Despite the disappointment of seeing his side finish unbeaten, Jones believes the experience can help England continue to sharpen their game.
“We’ve seen a huge step forward,” she said. “We’re very hungry. We want to keep hunting and I’m sure everyone will hunt us.
“The difference between a good team and a great team is consistency, so that’s something we’ll continue to lead from.”
The Red Roses now have a chance to turn those lessons into an on-field response as they take on Canada this Friday at TD Place in Ottawa.
