Sing says England's 41-match streak ending could sharpen Red Roses ahead of 2029 World Cup

Emma Sing believes England’s first back-to-back defeats in over three years can serve as a catalyst for growth, with the Red Roses now turning their attention to a final autumn tour match against the USA at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey.

England lost 31-22 to Canada in Ottawa last week — their second successive defeat on the tour after falling in Toronto — ending a remarkable run of 41 consecutive victories. Sing, the 25-year-old Gloucester Hartpury back who scored a consolation try and conversion in Ottawa, insists the timing of the setback is not without value.

“We were never going to keep winning forever,” Sing said. “We did really well getting to 41 wins on the bounce. Now it gives us a proper opportunity to reflect and have those honest conversations that may not have been potentially answered if we were still winning. It allows us to develop better, to have the honest conversations and to improve.”

Sing also pointed to the squad’s relative youth as context for the defeats, noting an influx of younger forwards as England begin a deliberate rebuild cycle. “The big goal is the next World Cup,” she said. “It is not nice losing but we’re learning from that and we’ll be able to turn that around.”

Friday’s match against the USA presents a stiff test of that resolve. Under head coach Jack Hanratty, the Eagles arrive on a five-game winning streak — their longest since 2006 — with four of those victories coming against Women’s Six Nations nations. Italy have fallen twice, while Ireland and Wales were beaten in September.

The contrast with England’s 69-7 dismantling of the USA in the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 opener at the Stadium of Light could hardly be sharper. Hanratty’s side play a direct, physical brand of rugby built around dangerous ball-carriers. Winger Freda Tafuna has scored seven tries in her last four appearances, co-captain Georgie Perris-Redding has crossed five times in the same span, and Bella Vogel arrives having been nominated for the World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year award.

Sing acknowledged the shift in the USA’s threat level. “They’ve been playing some really good rugby. We are going to do our analysis on them — it will be a bit different from playing Canada again, but there are going to be different opportunities for us to go after.”

For England, the fixture is framed as the first step in a longer sequence. “We are just looking at this as the first step in our building blocks towards Six Nations,” Sing said, signalling that the coaching staff view the autumn as groundwork rather than an end in itself.