After strong start, Canada fades in heavy loss to Fiji at World Rugby U20 Trophy

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Samoa won promotion to the elite World U20 Championship after winning the second-tier U20 Trophy in 2016. They were relegated from the U20 Championship after finishing last in Georgia earlier this year.

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It’s been a tough tournament for Canada, which squandered a 26-11 halftime lead and lost 31-29 to Portugal in their opening game. The Canadians then gave up a try in stoppage time to lose 27-23 to Uruguay.

Fiji, meanwhile, defeated Uruguay 55-34 and Portugal 32-22.

Canada coach Jeff Williams made eight changes to the starting lineup that lost to Uruguay. And for a while it looked promising.

Brandon Schellenberger scored two tries for Canada. Will Percillier kicked two penalties and a conversion while Brennig Provost added a conversion and two penalties.

Fiji scored nine tries, four of which were converted. Vilimoni Botitu scored one of the prettiest, an 80-metre romp after receiving an acrobatic offload from a teammate in a tackle.

Fiji was penalized repeatedly for high tackles in the first half and replacement prop Apakuki Naivanawalu was sin-binned in the dying minutes of the half for another infraction.

Canada has not played in the top-tier age-group tournament since 2009 when it finished 14th. It has competed a level below since, coming close to promotion in 2013 and 2015 when it was runner-up to Italy and Georgia, respectively.

Other years have been less profitable. Canada has finished fifth (2011), sixth (2010 and 2012) and seventh (2014 and 2017). It failed to make the field in 2016, losing to the U.S. in qualifying.

Last year in Uruguay, Canada lost to eventual champion Japan, Chile and Namibia before blanking Hong Kong 38-0 in the seventh-place game.

The Canadians had high hopes this year, coming off an extended pre-tournament training camp funded by a group of rugby supporters.

Fiji qualified for the 2018 tournament as Oceania champion. Canada defeated the U.S. for the lone North American berth.

The Canadian Press