NEWS REPORT

Canada 5 - Fiji 21

Canadian rugby fans would have been proud today had they been in Mar del Plata, Argentina at the third Sevens World Cup. Despite losing 21-5 to the vaunted Fijians, holders of the Melrose Cup, Canada bottled up the Fijians with stout defense and had them in trouble for much of the game, as Canada played its best rugby of the tournament.

Canada's National Sevens team hoped to improve on its 1998 Commonwealth Games performance that saw it lose to Fiji 26-19 in the Cup Quarter-finals.

Many of that same team played here today in Mar del Plata at this Sevens World Cup, and while Canada has improved and gained more experience since then, so too have the Fiji team. " There is no doubt in my mind that Fiji is the best Sevens team in the world, they are all unbelievable athletes and though we gave it our all, and had them under pressure most of the game, they still find ways to win," said Canada's Captain Gregor Dixon. " "You have to play an absolutely perfect game to beat them and though we played our best, and gave it our all. It wasn't enough."

Canada took an early lead on a try by Morgan Williams who found room down the left wing after receiving the ball from Gregor Dixon and Andrew Hoffman. Seeing the promise of an upset in the making, and liking the Canadians for their sock-throwing antics of the previous night, the crowd immediately jumped on Canada's band-wagon.

Stellar tackling and robust rucking by Canada, only excited them more, as it kept Fiji unsettled and allowed Canada a fair amount of possession. Jeff Williams prevented a sure try by just managing to toe a bouncing ball into touch as a giant Fijian headed goal-ward. Nik Witkowski put in a show stopper of a tackle on enormous Fiji Winger Marika Vunibaka, but, just before the half, Fiji's new star Rupini Caucau - remember this name for you'll see a lot of it in coming years -- ran in for a try. Fred Asselin, Canada's winger, stuck with Caucau as the two speeded down the wing, but then Caucau chip-kicked at the 20-metre line and was lucky enough to get the bounce to touch down. Converted Serevi, 7-5 at the half.

Canada kept up the pressure as the second-half began and had some opportunities, but Fiji's defense was sound. At 3.42 Fiji finally scored after Fiji worked the ball to Jope Tulokabe who slipped past the final Canadian defender to score. Converted Tulkabe 14-5.

Canada continued to hammer away and worked down-field. Mark Irvine chipped ahead on one promising opportunity only to have his jersey held. The referee made no call and instead Fiji recovered and ran the ball back at Canada. Eventually winger Filimoni Delasau, scorer of 82 tries in the IRB Sevens Series last year, ran in Fiji's final try. Serevi converted: 21-5 final.

" I'm really proud of the way the team stuck at the task. It was a great effort," said coach Doug Tate. " We stuck to our plan of going up tight channels and we ran at them. We defended well, but they have a lot of weapons."

" If we had managed to beat South Africa and hadn't lost to France, we might have had an easier draw, and might have managed a semi-final berth. But, we came here with the aim of being in the top-eight, and I'm very proud of my team. They're a great bunch of guys." concluded Gregor Dixon.