KEY POINTS:
Otago's Callum Bruce ran the game and earned star billing as New Zealand Maori began the defence of their Churchill Cup in style with a resounding 59-23 win over Canada at Northampton Saints' Franklins Gardens yesterday.
Bruce, at first five-eighths, scored 19 points as the Maori ran in
nine tries to Canada's three. He scored one and had a hand in three others.
The Maori opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Canadian full-back Mike Pyke's clearance was charged down by Bruce and flanker Scott Waldrom collected to run in from five metres.
Bedford wing James Pritchard notched a 40-metre penalty for Canada after Chris Smylie passed for Pehi Te Whare to score for the Maori.
Anthony Tahana and fullback Glen Horton both touched down to extend the lead to 20 points, before Canada scored their first try in the 33rd minute through Adam Kleeberger to make the scores 26-11.
Tahana notched his double just before half-time to make the score 31-11.
Bruce broke a tackle 35 metres out and charged through to open the scoring after the break and centre Jason Kawau then grabbed the Maori's seventh try from close range before substitute Tamati Ellison dived in for the eighth with his first touch. Bruce converted to bring up the 50-point mark before Canada sub Morgan Williams steamed down the left to feed in the overlapping Pyke for a simple score which was brilliantly converted by Pritchard.
Tahana then embarked on a surging run before handing off for number eight Warren Smith to score. Isaac Ross capped a memorable debut for the Maori by being sin-binned after a scuffle and, from the resulting scrum, sub Aaron Carpenter dived over for Canada's third score.
Captain Rua Tipoki also showed touches of brilliance to set up the victory before he retired from the game in the third quarter and his replacement Tamati Ellison scored with his first touch .
Canada will now face the United States for fifth place on finals day at Twickenham on June 2, while the Maori play Ireland A at Exeter on Tuesday in their final Pool B match.
Meanwhile fullback Taniela Rawaqa scored a try and 15 points overall as Fiji came back from a 3-15 first-half deficit to beat Japan 30-15 in a Pacific Nations Cup rugby test yesterday.
The win at Churchill Park evened Fiji's record at 1-1 in the tournament while Japan were playing their first match in the six-country series that also includes Australia A, Tonga, Samoa and the Junior All Blacks, who play Samoa today.