FORMER ULSTER FULL-BACK Peter Nelson earned his first cap for Canada on Saturday night as the USA kicked off their Pacific Nations Cup account with a 47-19 rout in front of a standing room only crowd at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado.
His fellow countryman AJ MacGinty was good on the touchline conversion in the first half and the Eagles led 14-0.
Moments later, Phil Mack was dinged for offside and MacGinty launched another kick from 45 metres to make it 17-0 and the beating was on. The US then led 20-0 at the half.
The Americans didn’t let up in the second half with the subs on. Hooker Kapeli Pifeleti got over the line and touched down in the right place to make it 40-7.
Nelson, a former Ireland U20 international, started at out-half during Saturday’s defeat. The 26-year-old left his native province at the end of last season and received a call-up to the Canada squad last month.
A Dungannon man by birth, Nelson qualifies for Canada through his Toronto-born grandmother and will hope to feature at this summer’s World Cup in Japan, where the Canadians will face New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and Namibia in Pool B.
Congrats to Peter Nelson and Andrew Quattrin earning their first caps for Canada in tonight's #PNC2019 match!
— Rugby Canada (@RugbyCanada) July 28, 2019
📸 @TorontoArrows
📸John Dickson @UlsterRugby pic.twitter.com/2ZxIcyNQ5W
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