Overview
- England named their starting XV for the first WXV Global Series Test in Toronto on Wednesday and confirmed Amy Cokayne is fit to start at hooker after missing September's fixtures.
- The selection brings experienced players back into the pack and gives younger squad members match exposure as England balance absences for maternity and personal leave.
- The fixtures are being treated by England's coaching staff as a chance to answer the 26-26 draw at Sandy Park that halted their long unbeaten run and to trial combinations ahead of 2029, head coach John Mitchell said.
- Canada will host two Tests in Toronto and Ottawa as part of the WXV Global Series and organisers and media expect a large crowd in Toronto with reports projecting attendance above 14,000, a figure reported as a projection rather than a formal confirmation.
- Beyond the results, the tour is poised to raise the profile of women's rugby in North America by testing squad depth, increasing live attendances, and giving players returning from injury or leave a path back into high-level international rugby.