Ardron scores 4 tries as Canada beats the US, Tonga tops Samoa in the Pacific Nations Cup

Backrower Tyler Ardron scored four tries to mark his return to test rugby from a four-year absence to lead Canada to a surprising 34-20 win over the United States in the opening match of the Pacific Nations Cup at Calgary, Alberta.

Ardron led Canada to the 2015 and 2019 World Cups but has been absent from his national side since 2021, during which Canada missed out on the 2023 World Cup and dropped out of the top 20 world rankings for the first time.

With a new head coach in place — Australian-born Steve Meehan — the 34-year-old Ardron answered a call to return and on Friday secured his 39th cap as Canada began its campaign to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Prior to Friday's win, Canada had lost 14 of its last 15 tests against the United States. Now, it has taken a major step towards World Cup qualification.

Later, Tonga led 20-6 at halftime and went on to beat Samoa 30-16 in the Tonga capital Nuku'alofa.

The top three teams from the Pacific Nations Cup apart from Fiji and Japan who already have qualified will advance to the next World Cup. The last-place team will go to a qualifying playoff.

The Pacific Nations Cup involves Fiji, Japan, Canada, the United States, Samoa and Tonga.

Ardron had a hat-trick by halftime Friday as Canada surprised the United States with its new fast-paced heads-up style based around an excellent lineout and tight-knit forward pack. Canada's phase play from quickly recycled ball and strong pick and go running was hard to counter.

“We talked a lot in sport about finding things that matter," Canada captain Lucas Rumball said. "It really mattered to us today.

“That was the focus of the game, just making it matter: every minute, every tackle, every pass, everything and I think we really showed it out there today.”

Ardron's first try came after three minutes, another from a brilliant cross-kick by fullback Peter Nelson from a quick penalty and a third in the 37th minute as the teams went to halftime locked at 17-17.

Canada outscored the United States 17-3 in the second half with Ardon's fourth try and another to Peter Nelson. The United States scored first-half tries through center Dominic Besag and Rufus McLean but was unable in the second to find a way, around or through Canada's tough defense.

Tonga's forward pack was outstanding at both ends of the field in its win over Samoa. The home team had surpluses of both territory and possession and finished scoring chances with precision.

Siosiula Moala and Sonatane Takulua scored first half tries for Tonga while Patrick Pellegrini kicked two conversions and two penalties. AJ Alitimu kicked two penalties for Samoa.

Tuni Tuitama scored a 60th-minute try for Samoa which cut the lead to 20-11 but Tonga pulled away again with a try to Samiuela Moli. Samoa finished with a superb try to Melani Nanai.

Next weekend in the second round of the tournament, Fiji hosts Tonga and Canada travels to Sendai, Japan. In the third and final preliminary round on Sept. 6, Fiji and Samoa play at Roturua, New Zealand and the United States hosts Japan at Sacramento, California.

The top four teams will advance to the semifinals, and the playoff rounds are set to be played in the United States. Denver is hosting the semifinals and fifth-place playoff on Sept. 14 and Salt Lake City the third-place playoff and final on Sept. 20.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Canada's Tyler Ardron, center left, and Piers Von Dadelszen, center right, celebrate after defeating the United States in Pacific Nations Cup rugby match action in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

United States' Lauina Futi, right, looks to get past Canada's Josiah Morra, left, during first-half Pacific Nations Cup rugby match action in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

United States' Dominic Besag, front right, is tackled by Canada's Nic Benn and Tyler Ardron during second-half Pacific Nations Cup rugby match action in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Tyler Ardron, left, and Piers Von Dadelszen, right, celebrate after defeating the United States in Pacific Nations Cup rugby match action in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

United States' Erich Storti, right, tries to get to Canada's Noah Flesch, left, before Flesch scores a try during second-half Pacific Nations Cup rugby match action in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Tyler Ardron, center, celebrates after his try with teammates during first-half Pacific Nations Cup rugby match action against the United States in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

President Donald Trump tried to put some teeth into his latest attempt to save college sports.

The threat of cutting funding to cash-starved schools that don’t comply is real, even if the stricter rules that come out of the executive order he signed Friday could take a while to figure out.

In the order signed hours before the women’s Final Four tipped off one of the biggest weekends in college sports Trump went after eligibility rules, transfers and the spiraling costs associated with an industry that now pays its players millions of dollars per year.

He called on federal agencies to ensure schools are following the rules and threatened to choke off federal grants and funding, a similar approach his administration has taken to force universities around the country to alter policies involving diversity, equity and inclusion, transgender rights and even the kinds of classes they offer.

In some ways, forcing those changes might seem like child’s play once college sports figures this out. The NCAA, the newly created College Sports Commission, the four power conferences, dozens more smaller ones and hundreds of educational institutions all have a say here: It’s a big reason Congress, which Trump instructed to act quickly, has been stuck for more than a year on this.

Trump’s order was his second since one last July and it was a laundry list of proposed fixes, many of which lawmakers and college leaders have been pushing for since the approval of a $2.8 billion settlement changed the face of games that were once played by pure amateurs.

He called for “clear, consistent and fair eligibility limits, including a five-year participation window," and wants to limit athletes to one transfer with one more available once they get a four-year degree.

At a college sports roundtable last month, Trump said he anticipated any order he signed would trigger litigation. Athletes have largely won the freedom to transfer almost at will via the portal along with the ability to be paid by schools that are now doling out more than $20 million a year to their athletes.

As much as the changes he directs, Trump’s call for the Education Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the attorney general’s office to evaluate “whether violations of such rules render a university unfit for Federal grants and contracts” stands out as a way to force change.

Several universities across the country have made policy changes to comply with federal orders and avoid funding-related showdowns with the government. Yet big-named schools like Penn State and Florida State are facing huge debts.

“I haven’t read it, obviously, but I certainly appreciate his interest in the issue," NCAA President Charlie Baker said at the women's Final Four in Phoenix. "And from what I saw, some of the social media traffic, it’s pretty clear that he made clear that we need congressional action to sort of seal the deal on a number of these things, which is good, because we do.”

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips praised the president's order, saying “there continues to be significant momentum to preserve the athletic and academic opportunities for the next generation of student-athletes and we appreciate the ongoing efforts.”

Attorney Mit Winter, who follows college sports law, said the order is likely to set up a situation where the NCAA and schools have to decide whether to follow a federal court order or an executive order.

“Federal court orders prohibit the NCAA from making athletes sit out a season if they transfer more than once and prohibit the NCAA from enforcing rules that limit collectives from being involved in recruiting,” he said. "The EO appears to direct the NCAA to create rules that would likely violate both of these court orders. Will the NCAA create rules that do that? And if they do, will schools follow them?

"Either way, we’re likely going to see litigation challenging the EO by athletes and third parties.”

Winter added that the order also appears to urge schools to pay new revenue share amounts.

“Most schools are paying 90-95% of their rev-share funds to men's basketball and football players,” he said. "And those funds are already promised via contracts signed with those athletes. Will the order purport to make schools not adhere to those contracts?”

AP Sports Writers Maura Carey, David Brandt and Eric Olson contributed.

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President Donald Trump pauses as he finishes speaking about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)