Canada's Ben LeSage, second from left, celebrates scoring a try with teammates, from left to right, Cooper Coats, Ross Braude, and Dawson Fatoric during the second half of a men's 15s international rugby test match against Belgium in Halifax on Saturday, July 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
September 19, 2026 - 9:48 AM
TOKYO — Ben LeSage opened the scoring with an early try as Canada's men's rugby team held on for a dramatic 19-16 win over the United States on Saturday to take third in the Pacific Nations Cup.
Mason Flesch and Jesse Kilgour had the other tries for Canada.
Takoda McMullin added conversions in the 11th and 60th minutes after LeSage and Kilgour's tries.
It's Canada's best finish since placing third in 2014 and second in 2013.
Japan beat Fiji in the six-team tournament's final.
Samoa and Tonga also competed.
Canada broke through at the 10th minute when LeSage scored the game's opening try off a lineout set play, which McMullin converted to make it 7-0.
Following an overthrown U.S. lineout, Cooper Coats broke the line, offloading to Lucas Rumball who found Kilgour. The ball was moved out wide through Foster DeWitt to Flesch on the wing who scored his third try of the tournament, extending the lead to 12-0.
Capitalizing on a Canadian scrum penalty, American prop Fakaosifolau Pifeleti slipped through the defence at the 21st minute to get his team on the board and fly half Luke Carty's conversion narrowed the gap to 12-7.
Carty slotted a penalty kick at the 39th minute to bring the States within two points at the half, trailing 10-12.
Carty opened the second half at the 43rd minute with a successful penalty kick, giving the U.S. its first lead of the match at 13-12.
In the 59th minute, Canada reclaimed momentum when Flesch powered inside the five-metre line, allowing the forwards to drive and move the ball out for Kilgour to pick and go across the line for his first career try. McMullin slotted the conversion to put Canada back ahead 19-13.
Carty made his third penalty kick of the evening at the 72nd minute to tighten the score to 19-16.
In the final 20 seconds, the U.S. executed their ninth phase inside Canada's five-metre line and opted to go for the win with a scrum after an offside call against the Canadians.
Canada's defence held strong under extreme pressure, Lucas Rumball got over the ball in the dying seconds, forcing a crucial error from the Americans to seal the 19-16 victory and secure third place in the Pacific Nations Cup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19. 2026.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2026