Canada falls to Japan in Pacific Nations Cup rugby after surrendering 40 2nd-half points

Japan scored six tries in a 40-point second half to down Canada 57-15 in Pacific Nations Cup rugby play on Saturday in Sendai, Japan.

The six-team tournament serves as a World Cup qualifier and the 24th-ranked Canadian men could have booked their ticket to the 2027 tournament in Australia with a bonus point in defeat, either by scoring four tries or by losing by seven or fewer points.

Canada will now have to await the outcome of the final Pool B match Sept. 6 between No. 13 Japan and the 18th-ranked U.S. in Sacramento, Calif. Pool A features No. 9 Fiji, No. 14 Samoa, and No. 17 Tonga.

A U.S. loss — or a win without a bonus point for scoring four tries — would secure Canadian qualification.

The Pacific Nations Cup will send three teams to the World Cup with Fiji and Japan already qualified by virtue of their performance at the 2023 World Cup.

The semifinals and fifth-versus-sixth game are scheduled for Sept. 14 in Denver, with the championship and third-place game Sept. 20 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Canadian men missed out on the World Cup for the first time in 2023, losing two-legged qualifying series to the U.S. (59-50) and Chile (54-26).

Sion Parry and Jesse Mackail scored tries for Canada, which snapped a seven-game losing streak by beating the U.S. 34-20 in the tournament opener Aug. 22 in Calgary. Peter Nelson kicked a conversion and a penalty.

Amato Fakatava and Kippei Ishida each scored two tries and captain Warner Dearns, Sam Greene, Ben Gunter and Tomoki Osada added singles for Japan. Seungsin Lee booted seven conversions and a penalty.

Japan led 17-10 at the break and could have had a bigger lead had it not been for some sloppy play and rugged Canadian defence. But it hit high gear in the second half, making