Sandy Park is buzzing! We are under way as England take the kick-off.

Canada captain Sophie de Goede is LOCKED IN. She spoke about the pain of last year's World Cup final defeat and you can see it in her eyes.

Revenge on the cards?

Here we go.

England head into this game on a record 39-game winning streak - a run stretching back to the 2022 World Cup final.

The reigning world champions are also unbeaten in 52 Tests on home soil, with their last defeat coming against New Zealand in November 2016.

England lifted an eighth consecutive Women's Six Nations crown in the spring.

• England have won 34 of their 38 meetings with Canada (D1 L3), including their past 14 in a row.
• They beat Canada 33-13 at Twickenham to win the World Cup on 27 September 2025 (and beat them 21-9 to win the 2014 World Cup in Paris).
• The Canucks' most recent last victory against the Red Roses came in 2016, winning 52-17 in Salt Lake City.
• Canada's three wins and the draw have all come at neutral venues.

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BBC iPlayer

You can enjoy live coverage from Exeter on BBC iPlayer or via the 'watch live' button at the top of this page.

Commentator Nick Heath is joined by former England internationals Susie Appleby and Millie Wood.

Hooker Bryony Field will make her first start for England.

Field, who scored a debut try off the bench in the 48-15 win over Australia last weekend, is a product of Huddersfield RFC.

There is a new-look half-back combination with Lucy Packer and Zoe Harrison at scrum-half and fly-half respectively, while Jess Breach and Alex Matthews return from injury.

In total, 14 of the squad were also in the matchday 23 for their landmark world-title win the last time the teams met.

Canada's Sophie de Goede returns to the starting XV at lock and will captain the side.

Rachel Smith moves from the second row to the back row, where she will join Julia Omokhuale and Lizzie Gibson.

Asia Hogan-Rochester, who scored both of Canada’s tries in last year’s World Cup final against England, is named on the right wing.

Elizabeth Botcherby
BBC Sport journalist at Sandy Park

Image source, BBC Sport

Hello from an overcast, but absolutely buzzing, Sandy Park!

Warm-ups are well under way. Canada spent a decent chunk of time rehearsing driving mauls, running through a few phases but also getting their defensive shape in order.

Australia were punished by England's powerful pack a couple of times in this area last Saturday.

Canada proved too strong for Scotland as they ran in 10 tries to register a resounding 64-26 win in their WXV Series opener in Edinburgh.

Scrum-half Olivia Apps, who impressed for Saracens last season, scored twice and will be a player England must keep an eye on.

Back rower Lizzie Gibson also scored twice.

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Sara Orchard
BBC Sport rugby union reporter

It is nearly a year since Canada lost the Women's Rugby World Cup final to England - but time has not been a healer for everyone.

"Four to five nights a week I can't fall asleep because I'm still thinking about the final," says Canada captain Sophie de Goede.

So, is this match revenge for the side ranked third in the world?

Canada head coach Kevin Rouet is keen to play this down: "Revenge is a good brand but they [England] won the final of the World Cup - that was the most important game to win, the next important games will be in the World Cup 2029."

After Canada, England play New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, before two more tests against Canada in Toronto and Ottawa. In recent history, England's women have never faced such tough successive opposition.

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One of the major talking points for the WXV Global Series is the introduction of a smaller ball.

World Rugby is trialling a size 4.5 ball - about 3% smaller than the size five used in the men's game (and typically used in the women's game), but the same weight.

England head coach John Mitchell told BBC Sport he was "sick and tired of answering on the ball" after his side's win over Australia.

It has spilt opinion but is something England clearly don't want to dwell on.

England produced a dominant second-half performance to defeat Australia at CorpAcq Stadium in their opening game of the new WXV Global Series last weekend.

The world champions, playing their first game since winning a record eighth successive Women's Six Nations title in May, were made to work for victory in Salford after trailing at half-time for the first time since 2020.

The Wallaroos led 10-5 at the break, with player of the match Abi Burton scoring England's only try in an error-strewn first half.

John Mitchell's side responded emphatically after the interval, scoring seven tries to quickly put any prospect of a shock defeat to bed.

"It was the first pre-season game of the year where we had the reality of playing rugby and had to solve [problems], which is good for us," Mitchell told BBC Sport.

"It is an absolute joke if you are worried about being down 10-5. More important is how we worked our way back into it."

The WXV Global Series has replaced the WXV competition, with England winning both editions of the premier section (WXV1) in 2023 and 2024.

It runs from 2026 to 2028 and features the top 12 teams in the world, ensuring more competitive matches are played in the run-up to the 2029 World Cup in Australia.

National federations and unions choose their own home and away fixtures that are played in September and October.

The new WXV Global Series doesn't have a trophy or table attached to it - it is just about Test matches.

England's fixtures & results

• 12 September - England 48-15 Australia
• 19 September - England v Canada (Exeter)
• 26 September - England v New Zealand (Twickenham)
• 16 October - Canada v England (Toronto)
• 23 October - Canada v England (Ottawa)
• 30 October - USA v England (Harrison, NJ)

It is the revenge match we have all been waiting for: England v Canada at Sandy Park.

The second game of the Red Roses’ inaugural WXV Global Series comes against the side they defeated in last year's Women's Rugby World Cup final at Allianz Stadium.

This will be the first time the two sides have faced off since that fixture.

Expect top-quality rugby!

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