Canada moved smoothly towards their 2019 World Cup qualifying sequence in France with an entertaining 35-12 win in front of an appreciative Butts Park Arena crowd, writes Paul Smith.

However, they were first given a good work-out by a mix-and-match Coventry side, which competed well up front and showed some nice touches in the wider channels.

The visitors claimed three tries before the break, to which the blue-and-whites responded through Phil Nilsen.

And after the restart, Canada claimed two further scores before Louis Roach claimed the final try of the contest in the closing stages.

Canada started with ominous power, and after they retained possession for a long spell they eventually opted for a lineout rather than kicking at goal from point-blank range.

And after the ball was moved into midfield, the visitors drove hooker Ray Barkwill under the posts for a try which Gordon McRorie converted.

It then required some brilliant last-ditch home defence to prevent full back Theo Sauder from increasing the Canucks’ lead.

As Cov settled Will Flinn’s chip narrowly eluded Junior Bulumakau with the Canda line gaping.

However, the home fans were not required to wait long for a try as their forwards promptly shunted hooker Nilsen over from a close-range lineout.

Canada’s big forwards continued to look dangerous, and they claimed two well-executed scores early in the second quarter.

The first was finished by No.8 Tyler Ardron, who enjoyed a high-profile opening 40 minutes, after a lengthy spell of ball retention in the home 22.

McCrorie converted, and the Canada No.10 split the uprights again a few minutes later after his team exploited a defensive hole to send centre Nick Blevins racing over.

As the game passed the half-hour mark, Coventry pressed hard in the Canadian 22, and when the visitors conceded a sequence of penalties they were duly warned by Welsh referee Aled Liddington.

Flinn’s brilliant tackle then prevented a seemingly certain Canada try after the visitors sent Ben Le Sage racing clear, which left the hosts chasing a 16-point interval deficit.

And their task almost immediately got bigger when Djustice Sears-Duru carried hard, after which some neat handling sent winger Kainoa Lloyd over for a try which McRorie improved.

Canada’s rugged pack continued to battle hard on the floor and attack Cov’s lineout, and when they put together a well-structured maul in the home 22, the referee awarded a penalty try.

A sixth Canadian try seemed inevitable when their back three combined to release Matt Evans, but the left winger was checked on the home line by some desperate defence.

With the hosts now running from everywhere, Rob Knox carried strongly and James Stokes enjoyed the chance to open his legs and make 40 metres in front of the main stand.

And when Stokes flicked the ball through his legs, Roach was able to pick up the pieces and wrongfoot the defence to claim a try which Ben Palmer converted.

As the penalties racked up against Canada, Lloyd was shown a yellow card for persistent infringement in their own 22, but Cov were unable to claim a third try before the final whistle sounded.