Consecutive defeats from Canada put Red Roses on first rugby losing streak in a decade

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — No. 1-ranked England suffered consecutive defeats for the first time in a decade after it was beaten by Canada 31-22 in WXV women's rugby late Friday.

Canada doubled down on its historic 24-21 win in Toronto last week with sustained defensive pressure and a withering three-try burst in nine minutes around the hour mark.

The Canadians have been the bane of England’s existence for the past five weeks, responsible for ending the Red Roses’ record 39-win streak in a 26-26 draw in Exeter, stopping their 41-match unbeaten run in Toronto, and now starting their first losing streak since July 2016.

"It's so amazing. It shows we can consistently perform at this level and now we just need to do it for another two, three years to the next World Cup (in 2029 in Australia),” Canada captain Sophie de Goede said.

Despite conceding five scrum penalties, Canada's defense forced constant errors by world champion England in front of 13,117 spectators.

"We're not broken, we just need to grow from this,” England captain Meg Jones said.

England got the ideal start from a try between the posts by No. 8 Maddie Feaunati, but was quickly overtaken by Canada tries to flanker Julia Omokhuale from a tap penalty and de Goede, a gift from Gabrielle Senft.

England then lost four straight balls in contact in the Canada half and Sarah Bern was held up over the tryline to leave Canada leading 12-7 at halftime.

England moved ahead 17-12 after a 20-meter rolling maul try for Amy Cokayne but Canada then struck three times. De Goede scored her second bounding over a ruck, prop DaLeaka Menin scored in a lineout drive, and fullback Savannah Bauder stepped two defenders in a 55-meter solo try to make it 31-17.

England kept coughing up possession and couldn’t reply until there were seconds left.

In Whangarei, Braxton Sorensen-McGee, who turns 20 on Monday, settled a 31-12 win by New Zealand against France with a 75-meter counterattack try with 10 minutes left on Saturday. France was far tougher than in the 81-12 defeat in Hamilton last week and the Black Ferns pulled away late.

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Canada's Sophie de Goede, center front, tries to hold onto the ball against a tackle by England's Hannah Botterman, center back, in the first half of a rugby match in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Daleaka Menin, center front , tries to get past England's Maddie Feaunati, front left, and Sadia Kabeya (7) as she is tackled by Zoe Harrison, center back, in the first half of a rugby match in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Sophie de Goede, center, scores a try against England as teammate Julia Omokhuale follows in the first half of a rugby match in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Sophie de Goede, second from left, holds the Utrecht Shield as the team celebrates after their win over England in a rugby match in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — A fire tore through the retreat built for Adolf Hitler in the Bavarian Alps known as the Eagle's Nest, and work to extinguish it was still in progress Saturday, authorities said. A person was detained in connection with the blaze.

The building was badly damaged by the fire and it's not yet clear whether parts of it can be preserved, the local tourism authority said.

A fire alarm at the building in the Berchtesgaden district in Germany's southeastern corner went off at about 9:15 p.m. on Friday, police said in a statement. Firefighters who went to the scene could see the flames as they approached the site, on a cliff 1,834 meters (6,017 feet) above sea level.

Getting fire engines to the site proved difficult because of its location, and work was still ongoing to put out the fire on Saturday morning, police said. The building and its immediate surroundings could only be accessed with respiratory protection equipment.

Firefighters found no one in the building and authorities believe at present that no one was injured.

Police said a person was detained as a possible suspect, but it has yet to be determined whether they had anything to do with the fire.

The building, the Kehlsteinhaus, was completed in 1938 and is reachable by an elevator from the end of a winding road up the mountain, in part through a series of tunnels, which is closed to public traffic but used by buses for visitors.

It has been operated as a cafe and restaurant since 1952 and contains an exhibition on its history. It was not open on Friday before the fire broke out.

The Kehlsteinhaus on the Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden, which was severely damaged by a fire, Saturday, Oct.24, 2026. ( Jason Tschepljakow/dpa via AP)

The Kehlsteinhaus on the Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden, which was severely damaged by a fire, Saturday, Oct.24, 2026. ( Jason Tschepljakow/dpa via AP)

This July 26, 2007 photo shows the Kehlsteinhaus, or Eagle's Nest, built for Adolf Hitler in 1938 near Berchtesgaden, Germany. (AP Photo/Geir Moulson)