A four try second half by Canada has seen a 26-10 win by the visitors over the USA Eagles to take the Bowl final of the Barclays Churchill Cup at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois.

The USA held Canada scoreless in the opening forty minutes, with a penalty from Mike Hercus, and a try from Salesi Sika, also converted by Hercus.

In the second half Nanyak Dala scored a try from Canada in the opening minute of the game and would score another in the 75th minute to win 'man of the match' honours.

Ryan Smith scored a pair of tries as well, including a superb effort from a lineout overthrow on the US five metre line that saw quick hands put the former Montauban centre over for the security points of the match.

It was a remarkable turnaround by the Canucks, who sustained extended pressure from the USA in the opening frame and came away with nothing from two James Pritchard penalty attempts. An adjustment to tactics in the second half saw a quicker and smarter attack that saw Bryn Keys, playing on the wing for Justin Mensah Coker, make a break before offloading to Dala at the US twenty two, the Saskatchewan resident bursting across for the score as he was tackled in-goal.
Smith, who made his first start after coming in from the bench the first two games, said the team recognized that a slow second half was part of their undoing, and as a group they addressed this through extra fitness and keeping the concentration tight after the break.

"The last two games we came out flat in second half and this time we came out flying and it really worked out for us," said Smith, who revealed he will not be returning to French club side Montauban next season.

"We had been working on turnover ball and it has really paid dividends," said Smith. "It worked out well for Nanyak and myself as well."
Dala, who is on the tail end of a six week road trip that included the North America Four and two legs of the IRB Sevens series, was pleased, but as usual quiet about his own performance, heaping the praise on his mates instead.

"I had to get off the scrum a little faster and that seemed to work for me," said the soft spoken Dala. "We have really come together as a team over these past three weeks and it is great to see that."

Then Ryan Smith was the benefactor of a poor US lineout throw on their own five metre line, with quick hands turning the ball over to the Canadian side, releasing the Brampton native from five metres, allowing him to do the trade mark Beaver Chew - two fingers on his forearm, a salute to the congregation of Brampton Beavers down in Chicago supporting their mate.

For Canada coach Kieran Crowley it was a first win, and he made no bones about the fact that they would enjoy the victory.

We just beat another international side, and you need to celebrate all that and the hard work that went into that," said Crowley, who had seen his his team fall to two defeats 26-10 to Scotland and 17-16 to Argentina.

"But we do need to get back to Victoria and get ready for the French Barbarians next weekend, but right now we will enjoy what we have achieved."

Of the two try efforts from Smith and Dala, Crowley was quick to make sure that the victory was a shared one by the team.

"They finished strongly on some great work by the forwards, and yeah, they did a good job, but it was hard work by everyone that made it happen," said the former Taranaki coach.

His counterpart Scott Johnson was less than pleased with the result saying he had never seen a team with such poor fitness come into the locker room at half time, and he called for a search of the USA for some players that could answer the bell for eighty minutes.

"Look, I have never seen a team with a ten- nil lead come in and look so exhausted at half time, it should have been 24 - 0 at that point really," said Johnson, who was at the helm, like Crowley, for just his third game. "We don't have players that have the capacity to last eighty minutes right now."

Canada finishes the Barclays Churchill Cup with 1 win and two losses, while the USA has gone its third straight BCC competition without a victory. The match also saw Canada win the annual Can - Am trophy - played between the two countries since the mid-1970's.

Scoring
Canada
Tries: Nanyak Dala (2), Ryan Smith (2)
Conversions: Ander Monro (3)

USA
Try:Salesi Sika
Conversion: Mike Hercus
Penalty: Mike Hercus

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