De Goede hat-trick leads Canada to 31-22 win over England in Ottawa

Canada beat England 31-22 in Ottawa in the WXV Global Series, with captain Sophie de Goede scoring a hat-trick to secure a 2-0 series victory. According to BBC Sport's match report, the result handed the world champions consecutive defeats for the first time in a decade, as Canada followed up their win in Toronto with a five-try performance.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqIA4CT4J5A

The hosts had won 24-21 the previous weekend, ending England's 41-match unbeaten run. Their latest success also followed a 26-26 draw between the teams in Exeter in September. England have now lost more than one match in a calendar year for the first time since 2016, a significant change in results for a side whose long unbeaten sequence had survived until the Toronto encounter.

England initially looked capable of responding to that setback. Maddie Feaunati scored from close range inside the opening 10 minutes, but Canada recovered to take a 12-7 half-time lead. Julia Omokhuale brought the home side level before De Goede added her first try four minutes later. That score came after Gabrielle Senft gathered a bouncing ball, broke along the left wing and found her captain in support.

Zoe Harrison reduced the gap with a penalty early in the second half, and England then used their driving maul to create a try for Amy Cokayne. That put the visitors back in front, but their advantage lasted only three minutes before De Goede scored again to restore Canada's lead. The exchange left England unable to build on their recovery after the interval.

De Goede completed her hat-trick shortly after the hour mark, and Savannah Bauder added another try down the left wing as Canada moved beyond England's reach. Emma Sing scored in the 80th minute for the visitors, whose three tries were not enough to match Canada's five. De Goede also supplied three conversions to accompany her three tries.

England next face the United States in New Jersey next Friday, with kick-off scheduled for 21:15 GMT, BBC Sport reported. They will go into that match trying to avoid a third consecutive defeat, something they have not experienced since 2013, after Canada closed out the series with victories in both Toronto and Ottawa.