VANCOUVER — Canada bounced back from a day of disappointment by dispatching Brazil 19-0 in consolation Bowl play Sunday at the inaugural HSBC Canada Sevens rugby tournament.
Nathan Hirayama accounted for all the scoring with three tries and two conversions for the Canadians, who stand 12th in the World Series season standings.
It was an ugly win as Canada dominated possession and territory but made a string of handling errors. The Brazilians, an invited team to the tournament, lost 35-5 and 40-15 in their two previous meetings with Canada in 2002.
Canada will play No. 7 England in the Bowl semifinal later Sunday. England advanced by downing Portugal 26-0.
The Canadian men went 2-1-0 Saturday including a dramatic 14-12 win over No. 4 Australia. But an opening 26-19 loss to Wales left them behind the 8-ball and, despite a 29-12 win over No. 15 Russia, the day ended in frustration as Canadians failed to make the elite Cup quarter-finals on points difference.
That dropped Canada into the consolation Bowl.
Coming into the home tournament, Canada had finished 13th, 11th, 11th, ninth and 14th on the circuit although it has twice missed out on the Cup quarter-finals on tiebreakers.
In the elite Cup quarter-finals, it was Fiji versus the U.S., South Africa versus Wales, New Zealand versus Samoa and Australia versus Scotland.
Organizers expected 63,000 fans to take in the tournament over two days at B.C. Place Stadium. Spectators got their money's worth with 45 games over the weekend. There were 942 points scored Saturday alone.
