Harrison's last-gasp try lifts England over Black Ferns — SkimNews
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- Zoe Harrison scored in the 81st minute to seal England's 26-19 win over the Black Ferns, intercepting a counter-attacking pass moments after missing a penalty attempt that would have broken the 19-19 tie.
- England trailed 12-7 at half-time after New Zealand tries from Amy du Plessis and Ayesha Leti-I'iga, before Ellie Kildunne, Jess Breach, and Harrison crossed after the break, with Harrison converting three of England's four tries.
- The match drew a crowd of 59,871 to Allianz Stadium and extended England's unbeaten home run at the ground to 14 consecutive games — preserving a record stretching back to 2016.
- The defeat was the Black Ferns' first loss under new head coach Whitney Hansen, who had guided them unbeaten through Tests against Canada and France this year after taking charge following last year's World Cup.
- England will travel to Canada to complete their three-Test series against the 2025 World Cup finalists, with fixtures in Toronto and Ottawa — a path the article flags as a key test of whether Canada has overtaken New Zealand as the Red Roses' closest rival.
- The Black Ferns have now won all five World Cup final meetings against England, though Canada's semi-final upset of New Zealand last year opened the door for the Red Roses' toughest contest to come from elsewhere.
Why it matters: England avoided back-to-back draws and preserved an unbeaten home record stretching to 2016, while the Black Ferns absorbed their first defeat under Hansen after entering the match unbeaten in 2025. The result carries direct World Cup implications: with Canada having beaten New Zealand in last year's semi-final and now hosting England's next two Tests in Toronto and Ottawa, that tour will likely determine whether Canada has displaced New Zealand as the Red Roses' closest challenger.
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