It wasn't perfect, but Kieran Crowley and his players were happy to secure a win in front of a crowd of nearly 10,000 at Toronto's BMO Field on Saturday.

It wasn't perfect, but Kieran Crowley and his players were happy to secure a win in front of a crowd of nearly 10,000 at Toronto's BMO Field on Saturday.

Canada fought its way back from a 15-10 deficit at half time to down the U.S.A. Eagles 28-22 in their Can-Am Trophy clash.

With seven weeks since the Canadian team has played rugby together, it was inevitable there would be some rust.

Despite elation at winning in front of the home crowd, Crowley knows his team must improve from Saturday's performance, which was at times riddled with errors.

"It's a win," Crowley said. "It's a test match and today Canada beat U.S.A. Obviously the performance wasn't exactly how we would have liked it, but any test match is a challenge and a battle and I'm very pleased with the way our guys stuck to it in the second half."

After a strong start where Canada controlled field position, it was clear both teams still had some work to do on the training pitch, with some rusty hands making their way into the game.

While Canada looked enthusiastic in attack and looked to pressure the Eagles out wide, handling errors and a lack of ball retention shut down a lot of their intended moves.

Saturday's game featured several milestones, being the first game at BMO Field, a large crowd and scrum-half Ed Fairhurst's 51st cap.

Fairhurst earned his 50th on foreign soil against Russia in the 2011 Churchill Cup, so was recognized for that achievement in front of the home crowd on Saturday.

The 32-year-old scrum-half also scored a strong try, to boot.

"Yeah it was an absolutely amazing day with those three things coming together, couldn't have asked for anything better," Fairhurst said. "I wasn't too sure what I was going to do, when you don't have as much pace you've got to throw a few things in there to try to throw the defender off balance, so I did that then just pinned the ears back and went for the corner."

Canada played field position early in the contest, trapping the Eagles in their own end.

Six Minutes in Canada broke the Eagles defensive line with a sly pass from Fairhurst to Jebb Sinclair who burst outside Takudzwa Ngwenya and looked to score, but was just pushed out of bounds as he dove over the line.

Regardless, Sinclair was rewarded seconds later when the Eagles tried to take a quick lineout but fumbled the ball straight to Canada, allowing Sinclair to cross for an easy try with much less legwork.

Canadian wing James Pritchard hit the extras and Canada led 7-0.

Early in the contest it was clear just how heavy a focus there was on the breakdown as both teams committed large numbers to the ruck.

Canada's focus at the breakdown cost them with some early penalties, including a penalty goal to Nese Malifa to make the score 7-3 at the 10-minute mark.

Shortly after the Eagles scored their first points of the match, Canada fullback Matt Evans was forced from the field with what looked to be a leg injury. Ciaran Hearn replaced Evans in the 16th minute.

It was then the Eagles turn to chance their hand and a high ball by Malifa proved a little too slippery for Pritchard, who fumbled the catch.

The Eagles turned the ball over in the ensuing ruck and spread the ball wide to the hands of Ngwenya who split the defence of DTH van der Merwe and Sinclair to cross over for his team's first try.

Malifa hit the extras and the Eagles led for the first time in the match, 10-7.

As the half progressed, Canada realized they were threatening the Eagles out wide and continued to push to play that way, but with seven weeks off the pitch handling errors plagued the game late in the half.

The Eagles fired again in the 35th minute when captain Todd Clever was found on the wing and in space, with a Canadian player down in back play. Clever touched down in the corner, making a difficult conversion attempt for Malifa. The kick was missed and the Eagles led 15-7.

Canada had the last say in the first half with Pritchard hitting a penalty goal for an Eagles penalty infringement to make the score USA 15 - Canada 10 at half time.

Early in the second half, Canada trapped the Eagles in their own end with some fierce defence. In what should have been a simple play from the ensuing ruck, a bad pass from Nic Johnson to Malifa resulted in an in-goal fumble.

Phil Mackenzie dove on the loose ball and an easy conversion by Pritchard put Canada in the lead, 17-15.

Malifa was pulled shortly afterward and replaced by Rolan Suniula, leaving Andrew Suniula with the kicking duties. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the older of the Suniula brothers missed a penalty from almost directly in front.

Pritchard added an extra three points for Canada before the game really opened up for the home fans.

On a scrum inside their own half, with 57 minutes gone in the match, Aaron Carpenter picked the ball from the base and popped it to Fairhurst as he was tackled.

Fairhurst found space and ran 60 metres, toying with the idea of kicking before dipping his head and barging into Eagles fullback Blaine Scully and smashing over in the corner. Pritchard's conversion attempt bounced off the upright and wide right.

Canada led 25-15 with 20 minutes left.

In another milestone of the day, Adam Kleeberger came onto the field for Sinclair in the 69th minute to earn his 30th cap for Canada.

Clever scored his second try of the day from some quick hands from Inaki Basauri to close the gap to 25-22, but another penalty from the boot of Pritched sealed the final score for Canada.

Canada 28 defeats USA 22
Canada tries: Sinclair ('6), Mackenzie ('44), Fairhurst ('59).
Conversions: Pritchard ('6) ('44).
Penalty goals: Pritchard ('38) ('55) ('78).

Canada subs: Evans off and Hearn on at ('16). Blood - Franklin for Buydens at ('64)('69), Sinclair off and Kleeberger on at('71), Smith for Scholz at ('75), Hotson for Erichsen ('75), Hamilton for Riordan ('80).

USA tries: Ngwenya ('23), Clever ('34) ('77).
Conversions: Malifa ('24), Enosa ('78).
Penalty goal: Nese Mififa ('10).

USA Subs: R. Suniula On and Malifa off at ('46), Enosa for Swiryn at ('71) Biller for Thiel ('80).

Canada vs U.S.A. - Canadian Squad
NAME, HOME TOWN, CRC/PRO, HOME CLUB, SCHOOL PROGRAMS)

1. Hubert Buydens (Saskatoon, SK, Prairie Wolf Pack/CRC, Saskatoon Wild Oats, Walter Murray/University of Saskatchewan)
2. Pat Riordan (C) (Surrey, BC, BC Bears/CRC, Burnaby Lake, Tamanawis Secondary/University of Victoria)
3. Jason Marshall (North Vancouver, BC, BC Bears/CRC, Capilano, Carson Graham Secondary/Simon Fraser University)
4. Brian Erichsen (Winnipeg, MB, BC Bears/CRC, Meralomas, Oak Park High School/University of Winnipeg)
5. Jamie Cudmore (Squamish, BC, ASM Clermont Auvergne/PRO, Howe Sound Secondary)
6. Jebb Sinclair (Fredericton, NB, The Rock/CRC, Fredericton Loyalists, Fredericton High School)
7. Chauncey O'Toole (Belleisle, NB, The Rock/CRC, Belleisle Rovers, Belleisle Regional High School)
8. Aaron Carpenter (Brantford, ON, Plymouth Albion/PRO, Brantford Harlequins, Brantford Collegiate Institute/McMaster University)
9. Ed Fairhurst (Vancouver, BC, UBC Old Boys Ravens, St. Michael's University School/University of Victoria)
10. Ander Monro (Victoria, BC, Ontario Blues/CRC, Castaway Wanderers, Glenalmond College/Edinburgh University)
11. James Pritchard (Parkes, Australia, Bedford/PRO, Randwick, Red Bend Catholic College)
12. Mike Scholz (Oakville, ON, Ontario Blues/CRC, Oakville Crusaders, Oakville Trafalgar High School/McMaster University)
13. DTH van der Merwe (Victoria, BC, Glasgow Warriors/PRO, James Bay, Dr. Martin LeBoldus)
14. Phil Mackenzie (Oakville, ON, Esher/PRO, Oakville Crusaders, Appleby College/University of Victoria)
15. Matt Evans (Duncan, BC, Unattached, Cowichan RFC, Shawnigan Lake School/Hartpury College)

Reserves
16. Ryan Hamilton (West Vancouver, BC, BC Bears/CRC, Capilano, Rockridge Secondary/University of Victoria)
17. Scott Franklin (Regina, SK, Prairie Wolf Pack/CRC, Castaway Wanderers, Athol Murray College of Notre Dame/Camosun College)
18. Tyler Hotson (Vancouver, BC, Plymouth/PRO, UBC Old Boys Ravens, St. George's School/University of British Columbia)
19. Adam Kleeberger (White Rock,BC, BC Bears/CRC, University of Victoria Vikes, Semiahmoo Secondary School/University of Victoria)
20. Sean White (Victoria, BC, BC Bears/CRC, James Bay, Oak Bay High School)
21. Ryan Smith (Calgary, AB, Prairie Wolf Pack/CRC, Calgary Irish, Mayfield Secondary/University of Guelph)
22. Ciaran Hearn (Conception Bay South, NL, The Rock/CRC, Baymen RFC, Holy Spirit High School)

Staff
Head coach – Kieran Crowley
Team manager – Rodger Swany
Assistant coach – Geraint John
Forwards coach – Neil Barnes
Defence coach – Clive Griffiths
Analyst - Peter Huigenbos
Strength and conditioning coach - Matt Barr
Assistant manager – Mark Winokur
Athletic therapist - Carla Brash
Athletic therapist - Mike Recine
Massage therapist - Sara Rabinovitch
Media manager - Tom Kennedy