Canada win in Toronto
In a RWC warm-up game between neighbours, Canada beat the USA Eagles 28-22 at the BMO Field in Toronto on Saturday. The match counted for the Can-Am Trophy.
At half-time the Eagles led 15-10 but did not score again till near the end.
Canada opened the scoring with a gift try when the Eagles tried a quick throw-in but fumbled the ball and presented Jebb Sinclair with a try. 7-0 after six minutes.
Nese Malifa kicked a penalty and then an up-and-under which the Canadians fumbled. The Eagles got possession and the Zimbabwean speedster Ngwenya scored a try to give the Eagles a 10-7 lead.
Out on the wing the Eagles captain Todd Clever scored in the corner. 15-7 after 35 minutes. On the stroke of half-time James Pritchard goaled a penalty to make it 15-10.
Early in the second half Canada gained the lead when Phil Mackenzie dived on a loose ball and scored. 17-15.
After Pritchard had kicked a penalty, Canada scored a special try as No.8 Aaron Carpenter played from the base of a scrum to scrumhalf Ed Fairhurst and the 32-year-old, playing his 51st Test, raced some 60 metres to score in the corner. 25-15 after 60 minutes.
A clever pass by Iñaki Basauri gave Clever his second try and Pritchard ended the scoring with a penalty.
Afterwards the Canadian coach, New Zealander Kieran Crowley, said: "It's a win. It's a Test match and today Canada beat USA.
"Obviously the performance wasn't exactly how we would have liked it, but any Test match is a challenge and a battle and I'm very pleased with the way our guys stuck to it in the second half."
The scorers:
For Canada:
Tries: Sinclair, Mackenzie, Fairhurst
Cons: Pritchard 2
Pens: Pritchard 3
For the USA:
Tries: Ngwenya, Clever 2
Cons: Malifa, Enosa
Pen: Nese Mififa
The teams:
Canada: 15 Matt Evans, 14 Phil Mackenzie, 13 DTH van der Merwe, 12 Mike Scholz, 11 James Pritchard, 10 Ander Monro, 9 Ed Fairhurst, 8 Aaron Carpenter, 7 Chauncey O'Toole, 6 Jebb Sinclair, 5 Brian Erichsen, 4 Jamie Cudmore, 3 Jason Marshall, 2 Pat Riordan (captain), 1 Hubert Buydens.
Replacemnts: 16 Ryan Hamilton, 17 Scott Franklin, 18 Tyler Hotson, 19 Adam Kleeberger, 20 Sean White, 21 Ryan Smith, 22 Ciaran Hearn.
Coaches: Kieran Crowley, Rodger Swany, Geraint John, Neil Barnes, Clive Griffiths, Peter Huigenbos
USA Eagles: 15 Blaine Scully, 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 13 Paul Emerick, 12 Andrew Suniula, 11 Kevin Swiryn, 10 Nese Malifa, 9 Mike Petri, 8 Nic Johnson, 7 Todd Clever (captain), 6 Louis Stanfill, 5 Hayden Smith, 4 John van der Giessen, 3 Shawn Pittman, 2 Phillip Thiel, 1 Mate Moeakiola.
Replacements: 16 Chris Biller, 17 Eric Fry, 18 Iñaki Basauri, 19 JJ Gagiano, 20 Tim Usasz, 21 Roland Suniula, 22 Tai Enosa.
Coaches: Eddie O'Sullivan, Dave Hodges, Matt Sherman, Mike Tolkin, Dan Payne
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Assistant referees: David Smortchevsky (Canada), Bryan Arciero (Canada)