Red Roses player ratings v Canada | WXV Global Series 2026

England’s 39-match winning run is over after the world champions drew 26-26 against Canada at Sandy Park.

It was a hugely engaging tie in which each team scored four tries, and a converted Olivia Apps try in the 58th minute meant that nothing separated the two teams.

To describe Sandy Park as ‘tense’ is a disservice to the word. For much of the contest, nothing could separate England and Canada in a repeat of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final.

It was Canada that made an early impression as Lizzie Gibson buried her way over the whitewash. The Red Roses soon responded with a Claudia Moloney MacDonald try, only for DaLeaka Menin to dot down just five minutes later.

Hannah Botterman and a second Moloney-MacDonald effort had the world champions ahead again. On the stroke of half-time, Menin had another and the scores were level.

That was how the game would continue. After half-time, in contrast to the first half, England were able to get the first try of the second 40 minutes when Bryony Field piled over at the back of a lineout drive.

Four minutes later, a piece of magic saw Sophie de Goede and Apps combine to level the scores again. Twenty-two minutes of nail-biting rugby soon followed before Claire Gallagher heaved the ball into touch at full-time.

Here is how the Red Roses rated…

15. Ellie Kildunne – 6.5
Much like last week, it was an understated Ellie Kildunne performance. The 27-year-old was as lively as ever in attack, even if her minutes on the Sandy Park turf did not yield a try for the Bristol Bears full-back. She did beat four defenders and made 22 metres from 15 carries.

14. Jess Breach – 5
A quiet return to Test rugby for Jess Breach. In truth, not a lot came the way of the Saracens wing. As such, the 28-year-old, who has scored 57 tries in 58 Test appearances, was largely a spectator in attack. In defence, Breach made five tackles.

13. Megan Jones – 6.5
When Meg Jones nailed a kick into Canadian territory early on, it was a reminder that England’s captain was up for this game. We got the kind of performance we have come to expect from the England captain, who was used as a lynchpin in her team’s attack as they looked to unlock the North Americans. Among other things, Jones offloaded the ball four times, passed the ball seven times and even made six tackles.

12. Helena Rowland – 6
It was not a sparkling performance from Helena Rowland, but she performed the role required of her by England. There is no blot in her workbook to be found. As second distributor to Zoe Harrison, the 29-year-old helped to keep England’s attack on the front foot and was solid in defence with her nine tackles.

11. Claudia Moloney-MacDonald – 7
Hugely impactful in the first half. A scorer of two tries in the first 33 minutes, the wing showed a clean set of heels to score her second and plenty of nous in the lead-up to her second. Maybe where the wing fell short was when she isolated herself in possession, where she coughed up possession twice.

10. Zoe Harrison – 7
There is little doubt that Zoe Harrison’s self-assurance is sky-high right now. For much of the past 12 months, the Saracens playmaker has been at the top of her game. Introduced off the bench a week ago, Harrison displayed an excellent array of kicking, with some excellent kicks to touch and even a 50:22. Her distribution was on point, as always, and she ended the game with two try assists. Harrison also converted three tries.

9. Lucy Packer – 7
Perhaps helped by her run of starts in the Women’s Six Nations, Lucy Packer looks so confident in a starting shirt. The rhythm and laser-guided passing never lets her teammates down. Combined with Zoe Harrison at fly-half, you have to think that is John Mitchell’s preferred partnership. It could even be the preferred partnership on next year’s British & Irish Lions Women tour of New Zealand.

1. Hannah Botterman – 6.5
To back up a strong performance from the bench a week ago, Hannah Botterman went all out against Canada. In fact, her last Test start was against the same opponents in the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final. Ferocious in the loose, the 27-year-old got a try in the 21st minute and helped her team win 100 per cent of their scrums. A real shame to see her leave the fray looking uncomfortable.

2. Bryony Field – 8
On her first Test start, Bryony Field looked very busy. The 25-year-old, who scored on her Test debut last week in Salford, made 11 first-half tackles. By full-time she had 18. England did lose two first-half lineouts, but there is certainly nothing that the hooker can be disheartened with. She was rewarded with a try at the back of a lineout maul in the 54th minute. A bright international career continues.

3. Maud Muir – 6.5
An understated performance from the Gloucester-Hartpury prop. During her time on the pitch, England had a 100 per cent success rate at the scrum and she also contributed 12 tackles to her team’s cause.

4. Morwenna Talling – 6
Really, really, really solid from Morwenna Talling. Back in a starting England shirt for the first time since Round 1 of the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations, it felt like the Sale Sharks lock was straight back to her very best. She made 15 tackles.

5. Lilli Ives Campion – 6
As per usual, Lilli Ives Campion’s domain is the lineout. On Saturday at Sandy Park, the 22-year-old called to herself more than anyone at the set-piece. She was also a useful figure in defence and made 14 tackles.

6. Abi Burton – 6
It was not the rockstar-level performance from a week ago. It was a lot more businesslike from Abi Burton at Sandy Park. She made 13 tackles and carried the ball numerous times, but her tally in the metres-made column did not break double figures.

7. Sadia Kabeya – 6.5
Chipped in with plenty of useful carries across her time on the pitch. Kabeya’s switch from hard-nosed flanker to all-action back-row forward has been a joy to behold this past year. You cannot say it was the best performance we have ever seen from the 24-year-old, but it certainly was not a bad one.

8. Alex Matthews – 7
It had been five months since we saw Alex Matthews last play international rugby. Red Roses fans can be pleased that the wait is over. In attack and defence, the two-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winner dominated. By the time she was replaced by Maddie Feaunati, Matthews had made 35 metres from 12 carries and completed 12 tackles.

Replacements – 6.5
None of England’s replacements came on and changed the game. It was a stark contrast to a week ago, when the bench ultimately proved to be the difference in Salford against the Wallaroos. Maddie Feaunati was by far the best performer, with several hard carries that made metres.