England fight back to beat Canada and retain WXV1 title

WXV1 - Canada v England

Canada (5) 12

Tries: Pelletier, Tessier Con: Tessier

England (7) 21

Tries: Muir, Bern, Aldcroft Cons: Rowland 3

England fought backmost successful the 2nd fractional to flooded an awesome Canada successful Vancouver and clasp their WXV1 title.

The triumph extends the Red Roses' winning tally to 20 games, but the lucifer proved to beryllium their toughest trial since their past decision - successful the World Cup last by New Zealand successful 2022.

Canada, who needed a triumph to clinch the WXV1 title, spent a ample information of the archetypal fractional successful England's 22, but could lone negociate 1 aboriginal effort done scrum-half Justine Pelletier.

Prop Maud Muir rapidly responded for the satellite fig ones, but it proved to beryllium a uncommon low-scoring commencement for John Mitchell's side.

Captain Alex Tessier got the amateur broadside backmost up with an fantabulous squad try, earlier scores from replacement prop Sarah Bern and fastener Zoe Aldcroft meant England retained the WXV1 title they won successful Auckland past year.

Aldcroft's effort came successful the last play of the crippled and near Kevin Rouet's Canada rueing galore missed opportunities arsenic their six-game winning tally came to an extremity and they fell to a archetypal nonaccomplishment of 2024.

WXV1 hosts Canada, ranked 2nd successful the world, person stepped up successful 2024 to look arsenic the imaginable starring contenders to situation England astatine adjacent year's World Cup.

In beforehand of a overmuch improved assemblage of 5,000 astatine BC Place, Canada started with a consciousness of urgency, turning down shots astatine extremity to spell successful hunt of a try.

Comfortable wins implicit Ireland and France had ensured their changeable astatine the WXV title, and their muted celebrations erstwhile Pelletier slipped done Hannah Botterman to drawback the opening effort showed thing little than a connection triumph was the plan.

A almighty transportation disconnected the backmost of the scrum from England fig 8 Alex Matthews helped acceptable up Muir to barge her mode implicit to rapidly respond successful an action-packed opening 10 minutes.

The Red Roses had started dilatory earlier racking up the tries successful convincing WXV1 wins implicit New Zealand and the United States, but were matched passim the archetypal fractional by their opponents.

Rather than asseverate their dominance, England's unforced errors opened the doorway for Canada, who failed to capitalise connected their territorial dominance, with helping Paige Farries held up implicit the enactment by Holly Aitchison astatine the extremity of a competitory half.

With full-back Ellie Kildunne successful the sin-bin for deliberately slowing the shot down, England were punished erstwhile Tessier raced wide to decorativeness disconnected a free-flowing determination that started successful her side's ain fractional and enactment the hosts 12-7 up.

As soon arsenic Kildunne returned, helping Bo Westcombe-Evans was shown a yellowish paper for a deliberate slap down, but a fig of handling errors from Canada meant they were incapable to again instrumentality vantage of the other player.

England's astir caller decision came against the Black Ferns successful the 2022 World Cup showpiece, which ended the Red Roses' grounds 30-Test winning streak.

Having failed to adjacent retired that rubric decider erstwhile it mattered most, the Red Roses are unbeaten since - and showed alloy to eke retired the triumph successful Vancouver.

Mitchell turned to his seat - which helium has nicknamed 'the ace eight' - to seal the triumph against Canada and Bern delivered, with flanker Morwenna Talling besides impressing aft coming connected for skipper Marlie Packer.

Canada defeated New Zealand to triumph the Pacific Four Series earlier this year, but their inexperience showed successful the closing stages arsenic they continued to driblet oregon footwear the shot distant astatine captious moments.

However, their show indicates a rerun of the 2014 World Cup last - the past clip England became satellite champions - could beryllium connected the cards adjacent year.

England: Kildunne; Westcombe-Evans, Rowland, Heard, Breach; Aitchison, Hunt; Botterman, Cokayne, Muir, Aldcroft, Galligan, Feaunati, M Packer (capt), Matthews.

Replacements: Atkin-Davies, Carson, Bern, Ward, Talling, L Packer, Harrison, Scarratt.

Sin-bins: Kildunne (44), Westcombe-Evans (58)

Canada: Schell; Hogan-Rochester, Seumanutafa, Tessier (capt), Farries; Gallagher, Pelletier; Hunt, Tuttosi, Menin, Holtkamp, Royer, Buisa, Forteza, Senft.

Replacements: Cline, Kassil, Ellis, Beukeboom, Omokhuale, Apps, Corrigan, Bermudez.