Ireland’s rugby team tops Canada 40-14 in Test match at BMO Field

TORONTO – James Pritchard became the all-time leading scorer for Canada’s rugby team on Saturday — but the lustre of his accomplishment was lost amid the Canadians’ 40-14 loss to Ireland in a Test match at BMO Field.

Pritchard, making his 49th appearance for No. 13 Canada, scored nine points with his boot. Tyler Ardron scored the lone try for a Canadian team that remains without a victory against No. 8 Ireland.

Ireland — which won despite having lost 11 of its top players to the British & Irish Lions — got three tries from Fergus McFadden, plus one apiece from Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave and Tommy O’Donnell.

The Irish now lead Canada 5-0-1 all-time.

Ian Madigan had six points on converts, while Paddy Jackson added four.

The Australian-born Pritchard entered the game needing just seven points to overtake former captain Gareth Rees’ national record of 491 points, and got that in the first half Saturday — the one bright spot on an otherwise disappointing evening for the Canadians.

A crowd of 20,396 packed BMO Field — most dressed in the red and black of Canada, but a good chunk wearing Irish green — for the game.

As is their routine, the tight-knit Canadian team walked off the field after warmup as a unit, one man’s hand on the next man’s shoulder. They stood arm in arm swaying to the national anthem.

The Canadians were coming off a victory last week over No. 12 Tonga. They’d also recently beaten No. 14 Fiji and the Americans.

They held their own for the first half Saturday, the Irish leading just 12-9 at halftime, all of Canada’s first-half points coming from Pritchard.

Ardron muscled in for a try off a ruck six minutes into the second half to give the Canadians a 14-12 lead. But it would be their only lead of the game as Ireland roared backm, Cave’s sprint from about 40 metres straight down the middle being the first of three the visitors would score in much that fashion.

Canada has tied Ireland once — 27-27 in Markham, Ont., in 2000. Ireland won 25-6 in Vancouver in 2009, the last time they met.

The fans didn’t see Ireland’s best Sunday. The 11 missing were with the Lions, who are currently on tour in Australia. Those 11 have a combined 528 caps and 834 points.

Saturday’s Ireland starting 15 has a combined cap count of 191, in contrast. The Canadian starters have 292 combined caps. But the entire Ireland squad is employed by professional teams, while only seven of Canada’s starting 15 play professionally.

NOTES: The Canadians leave Sunday for Japan and their Pacific Nations Cup finale on Wednesday in Nagoya. . . Trimble earned his 50th cap for Ireland on Saturday. . . The game was the third Canada has played at BMO Field. The Canadians will host the U.S. in a World Cup qualifier on Aug. 24. . . Both Canada’s women’s rugby team and women’s field hockey team attended the game.