Canada 27 NZ Maori 65

The New Zealand Maori began their three-match tour of Canada with a comprehensive 65-27 win over the Canadian national team in Calgary.

The home team began strongly, with centre Nik Witkowski scoring an early, which was converted by fly-half Bob Ross, before the tourists hit back with unconverted tries by forward Troy Flavell and back Rico Gear.

A penalty from Ross tied the scores at 10-all, but a double from Canterbury winger Joe Maddock and a try by Shayne Austin saw the NZ Maori run into a useful 31-15 half-time lead.

Hurricanes halfback Brendan Haami, who replaced Aucklander Dave Gibson after the break, ran in an early second-half try, but a try from Canadian loosehead prop Kevin Tkachuk cut the scoreline to 39-22 before the New Zealanders turned it on, scoring another four tries, with Canada replying with one from Ross.

Austin and Haami completed their doubles, with replacement first five-eighth Glen Jackson getting over for a try, along with former All Black No.8 Ron Cribb.

"We're rapt with that [the result]," NZ Maori coach Matt Te Pou told NZPA.

"We had a lot of young guys in the side and we all had to cope with the altitude; it's 3500 feet [above sea level] and the heat and humidity, so to finish so strongly was great."

The New Zealand Maori face a Canadian All Stars XV in Ottawa on Wednesday, with the second "Test" against Canada in Toronto on Saturday, August 2.

The teams:

Canada:  1 Garth Cooke, 2 Mark Lawson, 3 Kevin Tkachuk, 4 Mike James, 5 Colin Yukes, 6 Ryan Banks (c), 7 Adam Van Staveren, 8 Phil Murphy, 9 Morgan Williams, 10 Bobby Ross, 11 Sean Fauth, 12 John Cannon, 13 Nik Witkowski, 14 Winston Stanley, 15 James Pritchard
Reserves:  Marco Di Girolomo, Jim Douglas, Pat Dunkley, Ed Fairhurst, Jeff Reid, Ryan Smith
Unused:  Kevin Wirachowski

New Zealand Maori:  15 Christian Cullen, 14 Shayne Austin, 13 Rico Gear, 12 Norm Berryman, 11 Joe Maddock, 10 Willie Walker, 9 David Gibson, 8 Ron Cribb, 7 Germaine Anaha, 6 Troy Flavell, 5 Kristian Ormsby, 4 Paul Tito (captain), 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Slade McFarland, 1 Joe McDonnell.
Replacements:  16 Scott Linklater, 17 Deacon Manu, 18 Warren Smith, 19 Wayne McEntee, 20 Glen Jackson, 21 Brendan Haami, 22 Justin Wilson.

Attendance:  6500
Referee:  ?

Points Scorers:

Canada
Tries:  Witkowski N. 1, Stanley W.U. 1, Ross R.P. 1, Tkachuk K. 1
Conv:  Ross R.P. 2
Pen K.:  Ross R.P. 1

New Zealand Maori
Tries:  Flavell, Gear, Maddock 2, Austin 2, Haami 2, Jackson, Cribb
Cons:  Walker 4, Jackson 2
Pen:  Walker