Winning had been the only currency known to John Mitchell’s Red Roses.

From his arrival midway through the 2023 WXV1 campaign to winning the Women’s Rugby World Cup for the first time in 11 years, England won every single game.

However, their record 39-game run of victories was finally halted by Canada, last year’s World Cup finalists, in a thrilling 26-26 draw at Sandy Park last week.

Welcoming New Zealand, unbeaten under new head coach Whitney Hansen, to Allianz Stadium brought a feeling of jeopardy that had not been felt for a very long time.

Despite Mitchell openly stating that the WXV Global Series, with no trophy at the end of it, would provide new opportunities, losing in front of a 59,871 crowd at the home of English rugby would not have been part of the long-term development plan.

When Braxton Sorensen-McGee, with less than 10 minutes remaining, landed a tough conversion to bring the Black Ferns level at 19-19, the Red Roses once again found themselves in a sticky situation.

Unlike last week, they came up clutch as Zoe Harrison redeemed herself for a late penalty miss by snatching victory with an intercept try in the final play.

Given the clock was in overtime, England do have to count themselves lucky that New Zealand attempted to run from deep and gifted them a winning score.

However, a win is a win.

“We couldn’t have a repeat of what happened against Canada last week. A draw wasn’t good enough, so we had to get the points somehow,” Harrison told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“It’s massive – it goes back to that World Cup final [in 2022] for me – beating them on home soil was fantastic and it being such a close game is great for women’s rugby.”

New Zealand, the world’s second-ranked side, remain the last team to defeat the Red Roses at the World Cup final in 2022.

Leading 12-7 at half-time, ending that unbeaten run looked a real possibility.

This campaign, England have lacked the same clinical edge that saw them become world champions.

Their defence, now supported by coaching legend Shaun Edwards, has also been leaky. But they are without a number of key players, including World Cup-winning captain Zoe Stratford.

“To put it into context, the Red Roses don’t play New Zealand and Canada often – it’s important to learn how to win tight Test matches,” Mitchell said.

“The message at half-time was that this game will turn – we will get some possession and let’s attack it.

“The girls took the handbrake off and tried to go to space, even from deep, and were still tenacious without the ball, which was awesome.”

Running from 2026 to 2028, the new WXV Global Series features the world’s top 12 teams and is designed to provide more competitive matches before the 2029 World Cup.

England have already faced the world’s second and third-ranked sides and now travel to Canada to complete their three-Test series against the World Cup runners-up.

“The game is getting better and better and we are just trying to make that gap bigger,” Red Roses captain Meg Jones said.

“We know there are going to be close games and we will compete as hard as we can.”

New Zealand have beaten England in five World Cup finals and were once the undisputed number one team in the world.

That dominance has faded in recent years, particularly after their failure to reach last year’s World Cup final.

Despite a fourth straight defeat by the Red Roses, it is clear under Hansen that the Black Ferns are trending in the right direction.

That comes after increased investment in the domestic game, with Super Rugby Aupiki operating as a fully professional, full-time competition for the first time this year.

“We didn’t want a draw,” New Zealand head coach Whitney Hansen said.

“After watching last week [against Canada], we knew we were going to fight to the death, so I love that she threw that pass.

“I think for us, win or lose, we’re about our performance. We’ve talked heaps about what does great look like – where have we achieved that and where haven’t we?”

Next year, the British and Irish Lions women’s team will tour New Zealand for the first time.

A competitive series is essential to the success of the tour.

Prior to last year’s epic finale at Allianz Stadium, England – likely to make up a large portion of the Lions squad – comfortably beat New Zealand 49-31 in their most recent meeting in 2024.

“People are starting to realise the context we are in. Even if we had lost, we were right up there,” Mitchell added.

“New Zealand are in a really great position for the Lions series and heading in the right direction for the [2027] World Cup. We are also evolving [as a team].”

Blowing away every team comfortably or being pushed to the limit to win a Test – which would England prefer?

“This is what living feels like,” Jones declared.

Games in October against Toronto and Ottawa, with the series perfectly poised at 1-1, should give them those feelings again.

This was only the third game of the season for Mitchell’s players, but being pushed all the way is something that he and his side are loving and embracing.

Despite all that, an undefeated run spanning four years has been extended further.

If only just.