Canada stun Scotland

Canada 26 Scotland 23

Canada fly-half Jared Barker hit a 76th-minute penalty to give his side a 26-23 victory over Scotland in Vancouver - their first-ever in Tests between the two countries.

The Scots looked to be in charge leading 23-16 in the 67th minute but Jon Thiel crossed for a try and Barker’s conversion levelled the scores at 23-23.

Barker had opened the scoring in the third minute, slotting over a huge effort from 50 metres to put the home side 3-0 ahead.

Scotland replied eight minutes later with a converted try when Chris Paterson won the race for Duncan Hodge’s chip and scored in the corner.

Canada hit back with a try from Phil Murphy in the 21st minute following a penalty against the tourists

for killing the ball on their own one metre line.

Barker converted to put the Canucks ahead 10-7 and increased the lead near the half-hour mark with a penalty.

Brendan Laney pulled Scotland within three points when the Canadians were caught offside on the 10 metre line.

On the stroke of half-time Canadian captain Al Charron was yellow carded and the Scots won a line-out on the one metre line and debutant scrum-half Mike Blair crossed for his first Test try to give the tourists a 15-13 lead.

Simon Taylor’s try five minutes after the break and Laney’s penalty two minutes later looked to have made the game safe for Scotland.

But a penalty from Barker kept the Canadians in touch and Thiel’s try set up the historic victory.

The tourists launched wave after wave of attacks in the closing stages but the Canadian defence held out and referee David McHugh’s final whistle sent the crowd of 5,172 into a flag-waving frenzy.

The Test ended a four-match tour of Canada for Scotland, with Ian McGeechan’s young side now

moving on to the USA where they will take on the Eagles A in Portland, Oregon and the full Eagles squad in San Francisco on June 22.